Business Profile: Zippity Doos

For some reason, a trip to the hair cutters always seems to be more of a magical experience to a child, for reasons that adults find hard to understand.

However, Terry Tiolo, owner of Zippity Doos for the past 15 years, seems to have a certain insight into just what makes a trip to get your hair snipped so special to youngsters.

Tiolo brings a vast career of hairdressing experience to her job and when she speaks about the kids, you can tell the emotion behind her words is genuine.

“I’ve been a hairdresser now for, I hate to admit it, but for 53 years,” she said. “I love the kids. When I went into this job, I thought it was so much nicer than working on adults. The kids just give me a lot of pleasure.”

Zippity Doos is a brightly-colored shop, filled with toys, movies, and videogames – all things that make kids feel right at home. But nothing puts the kids at ease quite like caring attitude of Tiolo herself.

Tiolo also specializes in hairstyling for special needs children as well; customers who present their own unique sets of challenges and rewards.

“I’ve cut the hair of Autistic children, children with Down Syndrome – all special needs children,” she said. “They’re very sensitive, so you have to have patience with them. You have to be on top of them, not talk too loud and you have to know what you’re doing. With constant exposure, I’ve learned so much and in my 15 years here, I’ve never turned away a child.”

However, Tiolo said that she is still more than willing to take on the hair of the occasional grown-up.

“We do adults, too,” she said. “If we can do moving targets, we can certainly do mommies and daddies.”

Tiolo first came to Zippity Doos as an employee; however, when the opportunity arose to actually purchase the business 15 years ago, she jumped at the chance.

“I love the area and I live nearby,” she said. “The people here were so nice and I really wanted to continue to service them and their children.”

12 year-old Dylan Reiloy has had his hair cut by Tiolo for the past 10 years, something he sees himself continuing to do for many years to come.

“She’s so comforting all the time,” he said. “She never hurts or anything. That’s why I keep coming back. She’s a really nice lady.”

“I’ve been doing his hair since he was two years old and he’s still coming to me. Believe it or not, I’m on my fifth generation of people who are coming to me and I feel very blessed that I have them,” she said.

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