NATCHEZ — Kay McKey says she has known since she was a little girl that she was destined to spend her life making hair beautiful.

McKey said she and her brother, Michael, used Barbie dolls as practice when they were children.

“We used to roll their hair with bobby pins or whatever we could find,” she said. “We would let them set out in the sun to set the curls, bring them in and style their hair.”

“We were obviously truly destined to do hair,” McKey said laughing.

Michael and McKey’s other brother, Bill, own a salon in New Orleans.

McKey owns Mira’ Mira’ Salon on Highland Boulevard. McKey had just gotten home from work at the salon when The Dart landed at her house on Peachtree Street.

Hairstyling truly is a family affair for McKey. Her grandfather W.V. “Slick” Hollowell ran a barbershop in Woodville during the late 1930s and early 1940s.

McKey said she enjoys the satisfaction of making her clients look and feel beautiful.

“It makes them feel good,” she said. “And the conversations are wonderful. All your clients really are your friends.”