San Diego — 1946 Photo Revisits Barrett's Beauty Parlor

A black-and-white photograph of Barrett's Beauty Parlor, taken in Pacific Beach in 1946, anchors a photo essay published by Times of San Diego, giving readers a look at the neighborhood's mid-century beach community. The published feature does not identify the photographer or the parlor's exact address.

What does the 1946 photograph show?

The image centers on the storefront of Barrett's Beauty Parlor in Pacific Beach, a coastal San Diego neighborhood. Times of San Diego presents the photo with limited captioning beyond naming the business and dating it to 1946. Details such as the parlor's owner, staff, or list of services are not included in the published material.

Where does Barrett's Beauty Parlor fit into Pacific Beach's history?

By 1946, Pacific Beach had grown from a sparsely settled beach town into a residential district serving San Diego's expanding postwar population. The photo essay presents the beauty parlor as one of the small storefronts operating in that neighborhood at the time, though the source material stops short of detailing other nearby businesses or the parlor's specific standing in the community.

What is the timeline behind the photo's rediscovery?

The photograph itself dates to 1946. Times of San Diego surfaced the image as part of a recurring local-history feature, publishing it alongside other archival Pacific Beach material. No intermediate dates — such as when the photo was archived or by whom — appear in the published piece.

How does 1946 beach beauty culture compare with today's?

A brick-and-mortar beauty parlor with a set appointment stands in contrast to how many coastal residents approach beach beauty now. Saltwater's effect on hair remains a daily consideration for people living near the coast, a topic HTT News' Beach Babe Bloom desk has addressed separately in its guide to managing saltwater hair. Where a 1946 visit to a shop like Barrett's might have meant a wash-and-set, current beach beauty routines lean more toward at-home rinse-and-treat steps and product choices tied to ocean conditions, including reef-conscious formulas covered in HTT's reporting on reef-safe sunscreen made from pollen.

Where can readers see the full photo essay?

The complete photograph, along with any additional context Times of San Diego included, is available through the outlet's original feature, which readers can consult directly for the full image.

What questions does the photo leave unanswered?

Times of San Diego does not name the photographer, specify the parlor's exact street address, or say how long Barrett's Beauty Parlor operated in Pacific Beach. The published feature also does not indicate whether the business survived into later decades or when it closed. Readers looking for ownership records, city directory listings, or additional archival detail would need to consult San Diego historical societies or local archives not cited in the Times of San Diego piece.