Local Hairdresser Balances Work With Home Life Right Next Door

Dot Romaine-Corey loves what she does.

Which is a good thing, because she's been doing it for almost 35 years. Romaine-Corey is the owner of , located at 207 Waseca Ave., where she has lived and worked for 26 years.

Hair Freedom started in Johnston, but when Romaine-Corey's kids were small, she and her husband, Joe, who works for the US Postal Service, moved their young family to Barrington. They were drawn by the good schools and the flexibility of living and working in the same location.

Daughter Chiara, 26, has a marketing degree, and is now headed to nursing school, and son J.R., 28, is living in Texas and working in the energy industry.

Even with her kids all grown up, Romaine-Corey has no plans to leave Barrington. She has garnered a loyal following of clients, of all ages and both sexes, and still appreciates the flexibility of home being right next door to the salon.

Romaine-Corey grew up in Newport, and trained in Newport and also at the Vidal Sasson school in California. She is, herself, an educator and color specialist, as well as being highly skilled at providing services for clients who may have a need or wish for a wig.

Both of Romaine-Corey's parents died of cancer when they were fairly young, and the ability to help a cancer sufferer who wants to feel a sense of normalcy while undergoing chemotherapy is something close to her heart.

Romaine-Corey is proud of her salon's small, comfortable feel.

“It's a very intimate salon, where people can come in and relax, and feel comfortable,” she explained. “People come to salons for very different reasons, not just for having their hair done.”

Romaine-Corey's employee, Maryellen Dias, has been with her for 20 years, almost as long as some of her clients, and both women have received a lot of additional training in hair services, being primarily a Paul Mitchell hair salon.

While Romaine-Corey and Dias are happy to provide walk-in hair services, including cuts, coloring, facial waxing and hair straightening, Romaine-Corey would prefer that people in need of wig services schedule an appointment. That's because the whole process of wig selection and styling can take some time, and is a highly personal and sometimes emotional process.

Romaine-Corey considers herself very lucky to be where she is, and doing what she does.

“For as long as I've been doing it, I still love what I do,” she said. “And not many people can say that!”