Naser’s Salon: Hair & Color Designs––

An American Dream Built By Design

By Kaaren Valenta

The American dream was realized in Newtown this month for Naser Behluli, a former refugee from Kosovo, when he opened his own business, Naser’s Salon: Hair & Color Designs, in the courtyard of the Chase Building at 33 Main Street, next to the flagpole.

A Newtown resident since September 1992, when his family immigrated from Prestina, Kosovo, Mr Behluli worked full-time at a leather company while studying at Ricci’s Academy to become a hair stylist. After fulfilling the 2,000 required hours, he took the final exam in 1999, then worked at Ricci’s Salon and other salons in the area before deciding he was ready to open his own business.

A gala opening reception was held on December 5, with free haircuts that day.

“It’s truly the American dream,” said customer Pat Krasnickas at the reception. “I went to hairdressing school so I know how good he is. He gave me the best haircut I ever had.”

The Behluli family members are well known to many Bee readers who have read articles about them in the ten years since Naser and Hidajete Behluli and their two children, Besmir, then 6, and Kaltrina, 7, fled the oppression against ethnic families in the former Yugoslavia.

During that newspaper interview, Mr Behluli said his family had found something in America that was lacking in their life: “Peace.” No longer did he have to worry about getting stopped by police, or about members of his family getting shot. And when he found a job, he knew he would not be fired simply because he is an ethnic Albanian, which happened to him at the airport in Prestina where he had worked as an air traffic controller for 11 years.

In the years since then, the Behlulis have helped other members of their family leave Kosovo and come to Newtown. Many of them have settled in nearby communities.

Naser and Hidajete and their children, who are now a junior and senior at Newtown High School, became US citizens in 2000. The couple had bought a home in Newtown and found work at the Edelman Company, an importer and wholesale distributor of fine leather, formerly in the Hawleyville section of Newtown and now located in New Milford.

It was while working there that Naser Behluli was able to express his artistic talent by making samples and prototypes of items not usually thought of as being manufactured in leather. His creativity and skills were showcased at trade show exhibits and special events.

But Mr Behluli had a desire to work for himself in a business that would foster his creativity. He saw hairdressing as the answer.

It took several years of working and studying to complete the program, and several more years of working as a hairdresser to give him the experience he needed to branch out on his own. After searching for a good location, he finally found the spot near the flagpole that formerly was part of an attorney’s office.

“I think it’s a good location,” he said. “It is right in the center of town.”

Naser’s Salon is offering a grand opening special of 20 percent off with the coupon in The Bee. Gift certificates are available. For appointments, call 364-1417.