Beauty Salon Owner From Enfield Retires After 44 Years

ENFIELD, CT — After more than four decades as a professional beautician, including the last 24 years as owner of Hair Matters, lifetime Enfield resident Joyce Frangiamore has retired and passed the keys to an ambitious new owner.

Wednesday was the final day of business for Frangiamore. Formerly Joyce Drake, she attended Kosciuszko Junior High School and Fermi High School before embarking on her career passion in 1976.

After graduating from the Connection Institute of Hair Design, Frangiamore began working for Clara Porcello at Clara's Classics in the old Mulligan Block on Pearl Street. After three years, she joined Ralph and Joan Fiore at Towne House and stayed for 18 years, first in the State Line Plaza and then the Stop & Shop Plaza. In 1996, she struck out on her own.

"On my 40th birthday, I decided I wanted to be on my own," she said in an interview with Patch Wednesday. "My kids were all in school, and I heard through the grapevine that Mike DeLisa was retiring."

DeLisa owned Michael's Barber Shop in the Bassdale Plaza in East Windsor, just over the Enfield town line, and Frangiamore bought his shop and opened Hair Matters. After 15 years there, she moved to the salon's current location in Enfield's Smyth Corners Plaza on Hazard Avenue, which had been occupied for many years by Mr. Lee's Coiffures.

The government-mandated closure this year and the restrictions on salons brought on by the coronavirus pandemic played a part in Frangiamore's decision to retire.

"I came back because I wasn't ready to retire, but people were skeptical at first," she said.

For the past five years, longtime stylist Joe Parelius, former owner of Split Enz, had rented a chair from Frangiamore. His niece, Jennifer Fournier, is an award-winning stylist in her own right, and she would frequently stop in to see her uncle. Those visits enabled her to get to know Frangiamore, who said she was beginning to think about retiring.

"Jennifer came to me in September and asked if I was still interested," Frangiamore said. "The fact I didn't have to just close and walk away really made my heart happy. She's a sweetheart, and I am honored she wants to take it over. She's going to make it all her own, but she will continue that tradition of handing it over. It was handed to me by Michael, and now I can hand it to her."

Fournier, formerly Jennifer Wadsworth, is also a local product, graduating from Enfield High School in 1997. She has been licensed for 19 years and was named best stylist in Enfield by the North Central News in 2012.

"I was thrilled when this opportunity arose," Fournier said. "It all worked out the right way. Joyce leaves big shoes to fill, but our personalities are similar, so I think I'll be okay."

Frangiamore said, "She's ready for her new adventure, and I'm ready to be a stay-at-home grammy to my four beautiful grandchildren. My husband's been retired for four years, so we will get to spend some quality time now."

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