Frank's Barber Shop Closes After 31 Years

Frank's Men's Hair Styling, one of the oldest barber shops in Haddonfield, which once boasted of an iconic Bruce Springsteen photo shoot in front of it, suddenly closed last week after 31 years of business.

A sign on the front door last week thanked customers as it announced the shop was closing "permanently."

The beginning of the end for Frank's was the untimely death of its owner Frank Montemurro, 56, in June of 2011. It was not reported then, but widely known and confirmed later by patrons and employees, that he died of suicide.

His wife, whose name is not immediately available, took over the shop and many of the barbers there, who said they were like family, vowed to stay on.

But a rift developed and five of the six barbers there left a year later and established their own shop, MirAno, just down Kings Highway from Frank's.

When barbers and customers alike in his Kings Highway shop, Frank's Men's Hair Styling, were distraught. He was the heart and soul of the barbershop that serviced everyone from toddlers getting their first haircuts to older guys coming to grips with balding pates.

“Our mentor was gone. Our friend was gone. Our hearts were broken,” says barber Joe Graziano of West Deptford, who helped establish MirAno, the last three letters of his name form the last three letters of the new shop's name.

There was no more joy in going to work every day as the banter among the barbers fell off, adds George Miraglia of Cherry Hill, who had worked for Montemurro 11 years, and partnered with Graziano for the new shop.

It was not immediately known why Frank's closed last week. Please check back for updates on this story.

Reporter Renee Winkler contributed to this report.