Phoenixes rise from ashes, and so has Mia’s Salon.
Mia Rothwell has been operating her hair salon from a single chair before a mirror inside Duke’s Barber Shop, next to the Norge Farm Fresh, for roughly six months – ever since her business in Colonial Town Plaza burned down in April.
It’s not quite the setup she had before the blaze, but it has allowed her to keep her business going.
Now she just needs more people to realize Mia’s Salon is still in business, even if the sign above the door says ‘Duke’s Barber Shop.’
“Most of my clients came, but not all,” Rothwell said. “Many probably don’t even know where I am…Being established on Richmond Road, I had a good thing going where I was.”
Mia’s Salon reached its 30th anniversary in October, but Rothwell said in light of the fire she didn’t bother celebrating.
“I said happy anniversary to myself,” Rothwell said.
The fire that gutted her business also wiped out her home. She said she had been living inside her salon on a temporary basis to pay down debt and put money away for her daughter’s wedding.
Alongside her business, she lost most of her belongings. A hard drive full of family photos, her Yorkie Bella, her wardrobe and jewelry, and even her car that was parked outside were lost in the blaze.
“Everything that ever meant anything to me was in that building,” Rothwell said.
She said she only had enough insurance coverage to recoup the value of about one-third of what was destroyed.
Her friend Tim Johnston quickly reached out and offered to rent a place to her in Duke’s Barber Shop. Rothwell said her business has moved a few times but has always operated on Richmond Road, and maintaining that tradition was a priority.
Rothwell went back to work in her new digs just two weeks after the fire.
“It ended up being a good distraction for me because I was on autopilot doing what I had to do,” in the fire’s aftermath, she said.
Mia’s Salon continues to offer the same services in its new location, including haircuts, colors, perms, styles for men, women and children. Rothwell said appointments can be scheduled by calling 757-570-5417.
Her daughter set up a GoFundMe campaign to help her get back on her feet. Rothwell said she was initially hesitant to accept the money, but was overwhelmed and grateful, calling the community’s support “unbelievable.”
She used the funds to buy a car, replacing the one that was lost in the fire.
Rothwell said she will be forever haunted by the fire, and by the lack of answers for who or what caused the blaze. James City County Fire Marshal Kenny Driscoll said it began in a small wood shed behind her building and quickly spread, but investigators were not able to determine what initiated the fire.
Despite losing her business and most of what she owned, Rothwell said she is maintaining a positive outlook and remaining thankful for what she still has. After all, she said she owes her life to two friends who saw the fire as they happened to drive by. They quickly pulled into the parking lot and rushed to wake her up and get her out of the burning building.
“No matter what happens in life, it could be worse,” Rothwell said. “I could be in a burn unit in a hospital suffering in pain, so I’m very grateful.”
