By Shamsiya Hussainpoor
Emerald’s popular hairdressing salon ‘Gingers’ is celebrating its 60 birthday this year.
The hair salon was founded by the Emerald-local Patricia Hartje in 1964, and later the business became known as “Gingers” when she sold it to her red-haired friend.
Ms Hartje lived and worked in the area since early 1960s with her five children, in 2020, she died of a heart attack.
Gingers has had several owners since opening its establishment, currently the salon is owned and operated under the Emerald-local, Kacey Peeters who purchased it in 2014.
“I believe the salon has been such an important part of the community in all its years – people have helped us to continue even after all these years, and we’ve given back to the community,” Ms Peeters said.
“There have been times where some families have gone through some things in the community, and we’ve rallied together to help them with some fundraising.”
“It’s been a goal of mine to provide a bit more of an upmarket sell on to Emerald, not because the salon was not running or was struggling but we wanted to step it up a bit to be able to offer more services, better products, and better hair knowledge for the community and it’s been successful because of what we’ve been able to provide.”
When the 44-year-old took over the hairdressing business, she renovated the place – coming into a clean and well-looked after place is just as important as leaving the place feeling fresh and looked-after.
“The previous owner wasn’t really a hairdresser, she was a mortgage broker, and for me it’s really important to understand the people who come to us,” she said.
“When people come into the salon, they like to know who the owner is, and they like to feel welcomed, especially being in a small town, everybody wants to know who everyone is, and just being able to offer them really good products and provide a really good service.”
The salon was advertised on the market for quite some time before Ms Peeters purchased it.
“At that time, my kids were starting to go to school, my youngest kids were starting to go to prep, and the school wasn’t far from here – because it’s a small community, I thought it would be fine for the kids if I’m working, they can walk down to the salon from the school, and it just gave me that ability to be able to be there for them after school as well as do what I’m most passionate about,” she said.
Her love for hairdressing began during her high-school years, and at the age of 20, she became a qualified hairdresser.
In 2008, she moved with her family to Emerald to be surrounded by its beautiful nature and to grow in a small community.
Prior to owning ‘Gingers’, she had a salon in Wantirna, and worked at Spa Quality salons in Crown Casino.
She said her passion for hairdressing has only evolved and strengthened in the last 23 years being in the industry, she’s always “hungry” for more knowledge.
“I really love what I do, I never wake up any day and go, I don’t want to go to work,” she said.
Like many industries, the beauty industry was also impacted in 2020/2021.
“Covid was a challenge, there was a time when we were only allowed 30-minute appointment per client, even though we didn’t close the salon, but everybody was cancelling because they were too scared to go outside their doors,” she said.
“We weren’t making any revenue, and things got even harder when the government made the announcement that we had to close our doors but coming back the way that we were supported by the community and our client was unbelievable.”
One of the best things for the hairdresser’s entire career is seeing clients come back even after many years, she said that’s when you know you’re doing things the right way.
“I thrive off the feeling I get when I make a difference in someone’s life by making the client in my chair feel and look their best,” she said.
Historian and High School teacher Michael Reed has dedicated his time in researching about the founder of Gingers.
According to Mr Reed’s findings, Ms Hartje attended Kildara College in Malvern where she enjoyed playing tennis with the other schoolgirls.
“As a young hairdresser Patricia developed a love of the exquisite fashions and history attached to the British Royal Family,” the Historian said.
Mr Reed has had a great deal of his own with the British Royal Family, his research, and writings about them were published in the UK’s major newspapers for over a decade.
“I regularly provided research and wrote for English newspapers, the Guardian, Daily Mail, Telegraph, Express and other publications – most of my research has been about Kate Middleton’s paternal family, and Patricia really enjoyed reading all of the articles that I had written and researched about,” he said.
“I think it is amazing that the British Royals have a link with one of Emerald’s most successful businesses.”
“I coincidentally worked with Patricia’s daughter, Annaliese a few years ago, who’s also a teacher, for a time, Annaliese and I were joint English coordinators at a senior high school near Dandenong.”
The 59-year-old was also Ms Peeter’s next-door neighbours in Emerald for several years.
The salon operating under the current owner will turn 10-years towards the end of September, early October.
The 44-year-old will be celebrating a decade of success with her previous and current staff and clients on a Saturday afternoon with a DJ and some canapes.
“Michael Reed is going to come and do a speech about the history of the original owner, Patricia, I’ve got some clients who are going to do a few speeches and then our colour company, Kevin Murphy has got some goodie bags for everyone to take home,” she said.
