BY JILL NAGY
Bellissima is Italian for “most beautiful” and
the Glens Falls beauty salon of that name just
got a little more “grandissima” with the opening
of an addition that almost doubled the size of
the establishment and allowed owner Grace
Bologna to bring in two more people to serve
customers.
The stylists rent chairs from Bologna. Both
will be doing hair cutting, styling and coloring.
The expansion “is the best thing I ever did,” she said.
The newly enlarged space is bright and
spacious but, she said, it still maintains the
cozy atmosphere and has the personalized
service of the salon. She said her clients love
the new look.
The expansion and remodeling work was an
extended family project. Her partner Leonard Wescott, and his two sons, Colin and Jared, and Bologna’s son, Paul Casalan did the work.
Bologna had two hair salons on Long Island
before moving to Glens Falls 10 years ago. She
has been at her current location, 148 Bay St.,
for the last five years. She owns the building
and, when the restaurant and pizzeria renting
the space next door to her shop moved out, she
soon decided to expand. The location is easy to
get to and there is plenty of parking, she noted.
She was born on Long Island but her father
immigrated from Sicily.certainly not Upstate
New York. She has been a hairdresser “since
I’m a kid,” starting her first job at the age of
15. She trained with Clairol and Goldwell in
New York City and Feramesi in Italy.
“I’ve been doing it a lifetime,” she said.
Moving to Glens Falls and re-establishing
her business was a challenge, she said.
“Pretty much, I had to start over,” Bologna
said. She has since adapted to her new
surroundings and enjoys life in a small town.
“I’m really happy up here and the place is
going well.”
Aside from building a following in a new
environment, Bologna, has not felt challenged
in her work.
“It’s like a passion for me,” she said, “It doesn’t
seem like work. It was a lot of hard work in the
beginning, building a following,” she said, but
now people know her and know her work and
she is optimistic about her future.
Bellissima Salon specializes in hair coloring,
according to Bologna, but also provides other
hair services, including hair extensions and
up-dos, and hairdos for bridal parties, proms
and other special occasions. There are no spa
or nail services but, with the added space,
Bologna may add them later, along with an
additional hair stylist. There is room for six
booths in all.
The telephone number is 793-2804. The
business can be found on Facebook and the
Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce
website.
Photo/Todd Bissonette Photography