Three decades behind the chair: Kelly Treadway celebrates milestone at Esquire

By Jenny Harnish, RealWV

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va — When Kelly Treadway was 21 years old and fresh out of beauty school, she heard of a job opening at a salon in White Sulphur Springs. She went in for an interview, got the job, and has been there ever since. 

This year, she is celebrating 30 years as a hairdresser at Esquire, a hair salon started by Don McCoy in 1971. 

“Everyone in this town used to come here,” she said. “Anyone in the Greenbrier County area — probably your older hairdressers — were trained by Don McCoy. He was a fabulous teacher.  I didn’t learn from beauty school — I learned from him. Everything from business to doing hair, my work ethic — it all came from him.”

“He didn’t let you do a perm when you first started. He had this little room up there, and he would look down, and if he saw you doing something wrong, he would stop what he was doing and come down and say ‘You’re not drying that person’s hair right’. When I was 21, I was intimidated. But now, looking back I’m thanking him so much for what he did because it made me a better hairdresser,” Treadway said.

Treadway worked for McCoy for 11 years and then took over the business. She has owned it for the last 19 years and recently moved the 53-year-old business to a new location next to Greenbrier Valley Taphouse on Main Street  in White Sulphur Springs. 

Treadway works alongside hairdresser Cheryl Schmitt, who is also known for her manicures and pedicures. Together, they stay busy through word of mouth. 

“I think the thing in this business is being accommodating to people. I’ve never really advertised — it’s word of mouth. People see my work and say, ‘who did your hair?’ That’s how I”ve gotten so busy,” Treadway said. 

Treadway said she has several customers that have been with her since the beginning. 

“I love it — you build friendships. They’re not just your customers, you make friends with these people. Making someone feel good — like walking out of here at the end of the day thinking they really loved their hair. It’s my happy place,” Treadway said.