For decades, customers across Liverpool would have a unique experience at a number of "gorgeous" Liverpool salons.
One of hairdressing's brightest characters, Herbert Howe was famous across the city and beyond. Known for his huge personality and colourful clothing, Herbert owned numerous businesses, from a greetings card shop to restaurants, sunbed centres, a gentleman's clothing shop, the Hollywood nightclub and more.
But many will remember the popular salon's bearing Herbert's name in Liverpool through the decades. His work as a hairdresser saw him train thousands of stylists in the city, with many desperate to learn from the best.
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And whilst the hairdresser’s business, Herbert of Liverpool, was based out of the “Bling Bling” building on Hanover Street from the early 2000s, his career dated back so much further than this. Herbert began an apprentice-style job at Hills hairdressers on Bold Street when he was 14 years old.
But the trade was always in his blood - with Herbert's mum, sister, brother-in-law and nephews all working in hairdressing and barbering, as well as an uncle, also named Herbert. By the age of 18, Herbert's dream became a reality and he opened his first self-titled salon on West Derby Road and the rest is history.
Herbert's sister, Christine Lawton, told the ECHO: "He was working in Hills in Bold Street and he had to do things like take the clients poodles for little walks and he used to love that it was like that. Then he decided he was going to set up on his own. He was the most amazing hairdresser - unbelievable.
"My mum used to shampoo and I used to shampoo and little bits and he used to do this in his house and he saved enough through that to go into West Derby Road.
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"He was thrilled to bits, he loved it. My father , my brother, everybody sort of looked in to make it nice.
"It was really nice but it was very tiny. In think he could have had maybe only four to six chairs if that."
Herbert spent several years there until one conversation helped him decide to the move to the city centre and Christine said from there, he "never looked back." After opening salons on Church Street and Ranelagh Street as well as an academy on Lord Street, Herbert of Liverpool opened on Paradise Street in 1974.
The salon was also home to a beauticians, sunbeds and everything else you needed to pamper yourself. He employed hundreds through the years, many starting out in the business as teenagers and working with the family for decades.
However, the Paradise Street salon was forced to close in order to make way for the Liverpool ONE development which opened to the public in 2008. The “Bling Bling” building on Hanover Street, which he opened in the early 2000s, became his most well known.
Christine said: "He got Ranelagh Street opposite Central Station and it was decorated lovely, not as blingy, but it was quite big and had an upstairs. He just ventured from there, he was forever thinking what to do next.
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"He had a few at the same time in the early days. He loved the Bling exceptionally because its the only one he actually bought as a building."
Christine said the salons were always busy and had a huge team of staff. Lots of celebrities also visited Herbert and his salons over the years, including footballer Kevin Keegan.
Known throughout the city for glamorous appearances and high standard treatments from professionals, Herbert's salon's offered unique experiences for customers. At one point, a Rolls Royce service would also offer complete beauty treatments from head to toe and then a chauffeur would drive you where you needed to be.
Christine said: "Hairdressing was so very different compared to today all clients would have their hair set with rollers then they would sit under the dryer’s to end up with an amazing hairstyles. To watch Herbert dress the ladies hair in an up style would blow you away."
In 2013, a Channel 5 series was also filmed on the first floor of the "Bling Bling" building. It followed six celebrities who were put to work in the real life spa where they were taught everything by Herbert himself.
Christine said: "Bling, that was something else. We would walk past to go shopping or get something to eat and Herbert would say 'look at that building Christine, oh isn’t it wonderful - we own that' and I'd go 'it’s amazing Herbert, it’s lovely.'
"He loved it, the whole salon was gorgeous and everyone was so happy there. Everyone got free coffee, tea and biscuits.
"Herbert was funny and in his first salon he was the same, if he gave someone a cup of tea, he’d make sure the lady wasn't left handed so the handle was angled the right way and he’d have coaster with his name on. '
"He thought of everything. Everyone was extremely looked after. He was the most wonderful brother anyone could ask for."
Herbert Howe passed away in 2016 after a battle with cancer, a death that led to an outpouring of grief from celebrities in the city including Jennifer Ellison, Danielle Lloyd and Clare Sweeney. Two years after the celebrity hairdresser’s death, Herbert’s family including his sister Christine Lawton, took the steps to close the popular Hanover Street salon after coming to the realisation nothing was the same without the larger than life stylist - but his legacy and fond memories of his salons and other businesses still live on in the city.
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