Honoring Those Who Serve and the Families Who Serve Alongside Them
By Kaylee Conrad – Owner of Conrad & Blue Hair Salon
My grandpa was drafted into the Air Force at just 18 years old and served his country for more than 25 years. During that time, he was stationed at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, worked at the Pentagon, and ultimately chose to make Tucson his home after retirement. That decision shaped generations of our family. Years later, many of us would find our way back to Tucson, making this city part of our story as well.
My grandma’s story is equally remarkable. She enlisted in the Air Force at 18 years old and also dedicated more than 25 years of service to our country, retiring as a Master Sergeant. While stationed in England, she met my grandpa. What began as two young service members serving their country became the beginning of our family. After her military career, she retired from Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, where I would eventually grow up.
Military service shaped every generation that followed. My mom and aunt grew up in military life, moving wherever duty called and learning to build community wherever they landed. My aunt still talks about watching my grandma put on her uniform every morning before work. Whenever someone asked if her mom was a soldier, she stood a little taller with pride. That pride was passed down through our family, and it’s something I still carry with me today.
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized just how much of my life exists because of the military.
If my grandparents had never served, they never would have met. They never would have retired in Tucson. Our family may never have established roots here. I may never have spent so much of my life in Southern Arizona. I may never have become a hairstylist here. And honestly, Conrad & Blue may never have existed.
When I unlocked the doors to my salon for the first time, I realized that this dream didn’t begin the day I signed a lease. It began decades earlier with two young people who answered the call to serve our country.
Their service gave our family a place to call home.
Now, I have the privilege of building something in that same city they chose all those years ago.
That’s why military families hold such a special place in my heart.
When someone calls our salon and asks how close we are to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, I know they may be looking for more than directions. Many are arriving in Tucson for the first time, leaving behind friends, family, and the familiar. They’re looking for doctors, restaurants, grocery stores, churches, coffee shops and yes, a hairstylist they can trust.
My grandparents created a home here after serving. Today, I hope Conrad & Blue can become a small part of helping other military families feel at home while they’re stationed in Tucson.
Whether you’re here for a few years or you’re planning to retire here like my grandparents did, I want our salon to be more than a place where you get your hair done. I want it to be a place where you’re remembered by name, where you feel comfortable walking through the door, and where you know you’ll always be welcomed back.
That is why Conrad & Blue proudly offers a 10% military discount to active-duty military members, veterans, and military families. Simply present a valid military ID at your appointment.
Cannot be combined with other offers or discounts.
Thank you for your service. We can’t wait to welcome you into our chairs.
