Paris Salon founder reflects on six decades in business
RIDGEFIELD — In the 1960s, whenever a man wanted to get a haircut at Paris Salon in Ridgefield, he waited until the business closed for the day and then came in through the back door.
Paris, like all other hairdressers in the state at the time, only served women. Men could only get their hair cut at barber shops.
“Before the law changed, at night after the salon closed, men would go around to the back and knock on the door. I would say, ‘Who sent you here? ‘ If I recognized the name, we let the man come in,” said Jack Parascondola, 81, founder of Paris Salon at 609 Main St. The salon, which has moved twice in town, has been in business 60 years.
“Once the law changed in (the early 1970s), the salon was allowed to serve men,” said Parascondola, a Ridgefield resident, who advocated for the change. In 2014, Parascondola retired and sold the business to his daughter, Stacey Jchick, 58, of Monroe.
“My father taught me everything that I know,” said Jchick, whose 31-year-old son, Rob Dowell, works as a hairdresser at Paris. “For the first 15 years of working here, I kept my mouth shut and my ears open. I listened to my father. I did everything he told me to do because I knew he was leading me in the right direction.”
Becoming an entrepreneur
Parascondola grew up in the hair salon industry — both his grandparents and parents were in the business. His parents owned Arthur’s Beauty Center of Brewster, N.Y., which has since closed.
Parascondola, who is a Ridgefield High School graduate, graduated from the Danbury Beauty Academy, which is no longer open. He then worked as an apprentice at the former Carousel salon in Ridgefield.
After two years, his parents purchased a storefront in Ridgefield for him to begin his career — at a location across the street from where Party Depot is now.
He said he owed his father $10,000 and was concerned how he would pay the money back.
“I was just shy of 20 years old and I said, ‘Dad, I only have a little bit of money.’ I was married, I had a child.”
The business took off so well, he said, that within six months, he was able to pay his father back — and then some. “I bought them a Zenith stereo console, paid interest on the (loan), and bought myself a brand new 1966 Pontiac Tempest,” he said. “I paid cash for that, too.”
After seven years, the business grew even more and Parascondola moved to a new location — to 52
Danbury Road, where Nails is now located.
In 1980, he moved Paris to its current location and his brother, Louis Parascondola, who previously worked for him at the salon, became his partner. The brothers both retired when Jchick took over the business.
“I was 27 years old. I had gotten laid off from my job doing administrative work, but my company was relocating. So my father offered me a reception position,” Jchick said. “That was 31 years ago. Within a
Classic couple of years, I became the manager.” She was manager for about 18 years before purchasing the business.
Paris offers hair color and cuts, styling, keratin treatments, manicures, facials, waxing, bridal beauty services and special occasion makeup. The business also sells jewelry and handbags.
The most popular hair requests today include curtain bangs, which are slightly parted in the center — and color, she said.
“Color is so universal. Men, women and teens are all doing color,” Jchick said. “There are so many ways to be creative with color.”
Challenges
Aside from losing staff after COVID-19, Jchick said the greatest challenge salons are facing is the growing trend of salon suites, where individual hairdressers can rent space and control their schedule, services and clients.
“With a salon suite, the client loses out on the salon environment. When you go into a suite, you go from outside into a small room. Clients miss out on the shopping experience, the ability to see other stylists,” she said.
The way of doing business has evolved over Paris’ 60 years, she said.
“When my father owned the business, everything was done with a handshake,” Jchick said, “but times have changed and people need to sign contracts now.”
She credits the salon’s longevity to its customer service.
“Customer service is key to a successful business,” she said. “We at Paris Salon strive to make every client look and feel their absolute best. Our professional team is the other key element to our success.”