Thirty years ago this week, Linda Deeney opened her salon, Linda’s Hair Techniques, for the first time. She still loves the work of making others feel good about how they look as much as she did on that day in August of 1990.

“I have always loved doing hair,” she said. “It’s a lot of work, but I love the people and I love what I do.”

By the time Deeney opened Linda’s Hair Techniques in 1990, she had already built up a loyal client base after working as a hair stylist for about 10 years. She is one of those people who was blessed with knowing what her life’s work would be from a very young age. She was still a student in high school when she first went to work for a salon shampooing hair. She later earned a scholarship and started hairdressing school in the Academy at Hair Design in Wilmington, Del.

The transition to working as a professional stylist was a smooth one. “I’ve been working ever since,” she said, explaining that, even when she’s on vacation, she’ll catch herself looking at a person’s hair and analyzing how she would style it.

Deeney was born and raised in southern Chester County. She and her husband live in Landenberg, and when it was time to open her own business, she chose a location in the Chelsea Station in Avondale. She later moved the business to its present location in the London Grove Village Shopping Center. She likes being located in the same community where she grew up. She is an Avon Grove High School graduate, and her business has been able to support school and community activities through the years—something that she takes great joy in being able to do.

Trends in hairstyles are always changing, but from the very beginning Deeney’s business was built on the foundation of providing service to clients that is a cut above.

The staff at the salon has always played an important part in achieving that mission. Deeney said that she has been fortunate to have hairstylists who have made Linda’s Hair Techniques their home. “A lot of my staff has been with me 14, 15 years,” Deeney said. “They stay for a long time.”

She explained that she and the other stylists are always undergoing training to stay informed about the latest trends and best practices in the industry. Sometimes, they take part in in-salon education programs, while other times they travel to attend training classes.

While the work of a hair stylist comes naturally to her, Deeney said that it has been an ongoing learning experience to handle the business side of things. “It hasn’t always been easy, but I keep pushing forward,” she said. “It takes a lot of learning to run a business. A lot of people have helped me out through the years.”

She said that helping to make other people look and feel their best brings her joy. She has been styling hair for four decades now, and during that time there have been many different hair trends. Deeney said that she does not prefer one style period over another—she has liked something about all the trends, even mullets, which she will still do for people who prefer that style. “I like how the styles change,” Deeney said. “I’ve really liked it all.”

Linda’s Hair Techniques offers a full range of services, including manicures, pedicures, facials, waxing, and more. Information about those services is available on the website lindashairtechniques.com.

Deeney’s perseverance and dedication to her clients have been helpful as she, as well as hairstylists all across the U.S., faced significant challenges trying to navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic. Pennsylvania salons were required to shut down to help slow the spread of coronavirus, and they were among the last industries that could reopen. 

It was very difficult for Deeney and the other staff at Linda’s Hair Techniques to be kept away from their clients. Some of Deeney’s clients have been a part of her life since before she even opened her own salon. Each week that passed meant that more appointments needed to be cancelled. 

“It was so rough,” Deeney admitted. “I would go down every week and call the people to cancel the appointments for that week. That was hard.” It was heartening to be able to welcome clients back since the salons were permitted to be reopened.

The absence did serve as a reminder of just how important a hair stylist can be in a person’s life. A lot of Pennsylvanians missed out on at least one appointment during the shutdown, and booking an appointment at a salon was a nice treat for a lot of people once the reopening started.

“People have been so nice,” Deeney said, explaining that she worked for seven days a week, up to 80 hours a week, to take care of all the clients who hadn’t been able to get their hair cut in several months.

Navigating through the pandemic was a hurdle, but there have been other hurdles during the past 30 years. Most salons don’t reach the 30-year mark, and Deeney expressed her gratitude to the many people who played a part in making Linda’s Hair Techniques a success.

“This business is about relationships,” she said. “We get invitations to birthdays and weddings. We become a part of the family.” Those relationships are also why she still loves her job as much as did 40 years ago when she started working as a hairstylist and 30 years ago when she opened her own salon.

“I love what I do,” she said. “I am very comfortable behind the chair.” She added that she feels very blessed to be reaching an important milestone this week. “I would just like to thank my husband Dave, my family, my staff and friends for all the love and encouragement throughout the past 30 years,” Deeney said. “Without them, I could not have made it this far. It has been both a blessing and a pleasure to build a business in an area in which I was born and raised.”