FRANKLIN—After following her dream for 25 years, Nettie Boyce has hung up her shears.

The co-owner of Salon on Fifth in downtown Franklin has left the business to partners Janie Church and Robin Edwards. The three worked together for more than 20 years after Carroll Vick hired them.

“We had a lot of fun,” Edwards said. “We’ll definitely miss her.”

Boyce worked in banking and insurance after graduating from Southampton High School.

“Then I went after my dream,” said the 62-year-old grandmother of nine.

It wasn’t until her two daughters were born that Boyce became a licensed stylist —something she was always drawn to.

“I always liked it,” she said. “My brothers, sisters and my mom let me practice on them.”

Even when she worked elsewhere she would style friends’ and neighbors’ hair for free.

Vick hired Boyce at Salon on Fifth in 1987. Boyce worked there until Hurricane Floyd flooded downtown in 1999. She, Church and Edwards purchased the salon after the flood and reopened it at the same location.

She decided to retire to spend more time with family.

“I’m going to go to ballgames, go to the movies, practices, whatever they want us to do,” Boyce said.

She also looks forward to traveling on the back of her husband’s Harley Davidson motorcycle.

Boyce will miss working with her partners and appreciated her customers.

The partners rented the building and each owns their equipment, Church said.

“She’s going to be missed, but (retirement) is just part of life,” Church said. “She’s going to be missed by her clients.”