Retiring hair stylist reflects on nearly 6-decade career

ELKHART, Ind. (AP) - Looking back over the past 57 years, Frank Lucchese can quickly answer what he'll miss most about working as a hair stylist.

"The people," Lucchese said. "That's my favorite part of the job. You see a new person every half hour."

Lucchese began cutting hair at the urging of a relative and by "process of elimination."

"I figured I would try it," Lucchese recalled. "My cousin was a hairdresser and every time she saw me she would tell me to become a hairdresser.

In 1960, Lucchese began cutting hair in Elkhart. He soon opened his own salon alongside his business partner in 1962.

For 44 years Lucchese's haircutting salon Capelli_which is Italian for "hair"- served the Elkhart community.

Lucchese is quick to give credit to his business partner, who retired in 1999, adding that learning to "zip your mouth" is the key to a good business partnership.

"We had one fight in all our years," Lucchese said. "It was over 'Mickey Mouse' stuff."

It wasn't smooth sailing for Lucchese in the beginning, as he struggled to build a clientele in the first few years owning his own business.

"I thought maybe I should look for something else," Lucchese said. "But soon we were able to build a clientele, and I've done very well since."

After selling Capelli in 2006, Lucchese began cutting hair part-time at the Mane Event, which is located on North Main Street.

"I'm not ready to retire," he said. "But I'm going to."

Lucchese said he's going to fill his time in retirement on several different hobbies: gardening, cooking and making homemade wine.

Lucchese also said he looks forward to spending time with his four children and eight grandchildren, all of whom reside in the Elkhart area.

"We're Elkhart people," he said.

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Source: The Elkhart Truth

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Information from: The Elkhart Truth, http://www.elkharttruth.com