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The Middletown Journal is committed to coverage of the local community — from schools and sports to business and news. Each Sunday, reporter Skip Weaver gives you the story behind some of your favorite local businesses and business owners.
As luck would have it, Lisa Quillen wasn’t out of work long.
The owner of Chuck’s Barbershop in Middletown made the difficult decision to close her Tytus Avenue establishment at the beginning of August after 25 years in operation.
The closure was a mutual agreement between Quillen and her father, Chuck, who was the original owner and has retired in Florida.
“It was very stressful and I didn’t know what I was going to do,” Quillen said. “I worried I wouldn’t be able to get back into this for a while.
While Quillen pondered what to do with her career, she called Tracy Millard, owner of the Carlisle Barber Shop. It just so happened that Millard was looking to bring someone into her shop to help fill the void of another barber who was going on maternity leave.
“Tracy was able to hire me and I really like the environment here,” Quillen said. “I never thought I could work for somebody other than family, but it has been really nice. I have co-workers to socialize with, where I was by myself at the other shop.”
Millard started the Carlisle Barber Shop in 2004 and now has a total of four female barbers. It is located at 750 Central Ave.
“When she called, I just thought it would be dumb of me not to ask her to come be part of us because I knew of the dedication she had in building her shop,” Millard said. “She can feel at home here and just be a barber.”
Quillen’s father opened Chuck’s Barbershop in 1989 in Middletown. Quillen and her father worked together until 2006, when Chuck began working part time before retiring in 2009.
Chuck also worked a few years for the Carlisle Barber Shop, Millard said.
“There is a lot of history there,” Millard said.
“There was an uncertainty of the job not working out for me at first,” Quillen said. “It was a big adjustment even though you are taking the trade with you, but the customers have been patient and considerate and I appreciate it.”
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