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The Journey of Capital Hair & Beauty

The Story of Capital Hair and Beauty
The Story of Capital Hair and Beauty
1954 at Capital Hair and Beauty

1954

Our story began in 1954 as a small company called D.E.L. Supplies in Brighton, founded by Michael Vans Agnew, who recognised a need for professional hairdressing and animal grooming supplies and scissor and clipper sharpening services.

1960-1970 at Capital Hair and Beauty

1960's & 70's

Michael established self-service trade counters in Brighton and Catford, which operated until the early 1980s.

Did you know?

We are the UK’s largest independent supplier to hairdressers, beauty therapists and nail technicians.

1980's at Capital Hair and Beauty

1980’s

The business continued to expand, and Michael's son Peter joined the team and opened the first cash & carry wholesale outlet in Hayes, Middlesex. The company became known as Capital (Hair & Beauty), with a new logo to match - a reflection of the company's expansion into London. New stores opened in Hove, Kingston, Dagenham, Croydon, Bournemouth and Aldershot.

1990's at Capital Hair & Beauty

1990’s

Peter's appointment as Managing Director was a significant milestone in the company's growth. New stores were opened in Gillingham, Portsmouth, Brierley Hill, Bristol, Walsall, Harrow, Southampton and Hoddesdon, and a new head office was opened in Patcham, Brighton. In 1999, a direct sales team was established. The logo also had a makeover!

Did you know?

We were the first in the trade to open our stores on a Sunday.

2000's at Capital Hair and Beauty

2000's

The start of a new century brought a new distribution warehouse in Dagenham and more store openings. 2004 saw Capital's first ecommerce website launch, and in 2005, the company began providing training courses. By the decade's end, Capital had expanded with new stores in northern England and Scotland.

2010's at Capital Hair & Beauty

2010’s

The first store in Northern Ireland opened in Derry in 2010, and soon after, Dublin in the Republic of Ireland was the location for the 30th store! Capital's first mobile-friendly website was launched, making ordering on the go easy, quick, and secure! Further store openings followed, plus the acquisition of M&S Hair & Beauty Supplies (2017) and Hairdressing Supplies (2018) expanding the company's footprint in the north of England and Scotland.

Did you know?

That we offer in-person training at over 40 of our locations.

2020's at Capital Hair and Beauty

2020’s

We emerged from lockdown with a fresh look and refreshed dedication to serving hair & beauty professionals. Recognising that the working landscape had shifted significantly post-pandemic and that more professionals were self-employed freelancers, we launched our first "Freelance Focus" Campaign, which provided a guide to help our customers navigate the challenges of self-employment.

In June 2023, a devastating fire broke out at our Burgess Hill warehouse, one of our largest and most important distribution centres. The fire was reported in the afternoon and continued to burn for more than 24 hours, causing significant damage to the warehouse structure and the loss of goods stored within. Thankfully, no one was injured during the fire, and we quickly began to make arrangements to ensure that our customers were not impacted.

2024 70th Anniversary at Capital Hair and Beauty

2024

2024 will mark a significant milestone as we celebrate 70 years of unwavering dedication to serving hair and beauty professionals. It's incredible to think that back in 1954, the Capital brand started as a small family-run business. Now, we have 60 branches across the U.K. and Ireland. We are immensely grateful for the loyalty of our customers, both old and new, as we couldn't have come this far without you. We want to express our heartfelt thanks for your support, and we look forward to many more years of serving the amazingly talented and resilient Hair and Beauty Trade!

Did you know?

That we have 60 stores in the UK & Ireland.

Capital Hair and Beauty Store Locations Map

 

70th Anniversary at Capital Hair and Beauty
70th Anniversary at Capital Hair and Beauty