A TRIBUTE TO MOM & DAD
Sharon started in the wig business at her mother's beauty shop way before she received her own business. As a little girl, she
had hands on hair and knew at a early age that she wanted to do
to work with hair her mom's shop was Lu Rue's on 496 1/2 Lyell Avenue back in the late 50's & 60's when Lyell was so beautiful . In the 50's Sharon decided to follow in her mother footsteps in the trade of Hairdressing. She attended the Continental Beauty School and got her degree in 1963. After that she went for more advanced training at the Chadwick of England Styling School and a completed her courses there.
Sharon was no stranger to this field, as she was trained by the best. During all those years she had extra training in Alternative Hair which is wigs, also she travelled to Toronto, Weehawken New Jersey, & also Boston for wig training which she receive beautiful degrees, which are shown all over her Studio. Sharon remembered once when her mother told to hold her hand out and Luo, Sharon's mother she laid a razor , shears , comb , blow dryer , & a wig , in her hand. Luo her mother ask her '' How heavy is that ?" Sharon answered, ''not heavy at all mom.'' and her mother said , ''Sharon , these will be the heaviest tools that you will have to hold in the trade that you are choosing for life of your business. Sharon also remember being in her Mother's shop as a child , playing with dolls , talking down taking down their and watching her mom do her client's hair. Sometimes Sharon would ask if I could comb the client's hair while they wait while they would be waiting for there appointment with her mother Luo . They said yes , She was only about 5 years old, but it made her so happy . The clients loved it and when she was done they would reach in their wallets and handed her twenty five cents. She knew she was not a stranger in this field and truly born Hairdresser.
In later years , Sharon married Samuel R. Grasta & that's where
Grasta's Beauty And Wig Studio had started Sharon mother business name was named Lu Rue's Beauty Shop it was on
496 1/2 Lyell Avenue . Sharon husband wanted to break away
from the old Lyell Avenue neighborhood and start a homestead on Flower City Park . So that's were the first Grasta's Beauty And Wig Studio started in 1973 in a three room basement with a complete studio . The address was 104 Flower City Park , now both mother & daughter had their own business. Sharon started in a neighborhood knowing no one but passing fliers from door to door walking from door to door 3 to 10 blocks long in the summer to winter. She was not going to give up , she made so many phone calls to reach out to people and that one on one was made it happen there was no advertisement mailed thru the mail but I did it the best way to meet the people face to face . By talking to them personally she won their hearts over!
Sharon's big heart and loving way brought her to do even more with her talents . She also worked in area hospitals , nursing homes , and senior , to care for them with hair and wigs . Her studio was always open by appointment only as to not take away
from the one on one service she would provide. After 13 wonderful years of building her business & meeting such loving sweet people her husband to relocate again and here Sharon started all over again but she ran both business commuting back and fourth from the city to Parma . The new Grasta's Beauty And Wig Studio is open in 1984 at 409 Parma Center Rd Hilton N.Y. And is here today she is in business for 59 years this December she will be in business will be for 60 years she has past her 50 years golden !
Sharon lost her Dad in 1999, His name was Dominic J. Russo but
all his friends called him D.J. Sharon then lost here very best friend , partner & mother , the late Lucille K. Russo ( Lu ) in 2009
" WHEN YOU LOSE YOUR PARENTS YOU HAVE LOST THE WORLD "
They were my mentors ," Sharon said . She was very close to her
parents as she was a only child ." With no siblings it is very lonely
without them. But having a loving husband by my side has made this heavy cross a little lighter to carry. I know my Mom & Dad are
looking down are so proud of their daughter. I could feel them watching over me from the heavens above I am never alone their with me! standing on my own two feet. I was not given a golden spoon in my mouth like other people start a business and not leaning on anyone , not even my wonderful loving husband Sam.
said Sharon " Thank you very much Dear Lord for granting me these wonderful parents that brought in this beautiful world and t
taught me so much . And my husband which is a cancer survivor
he is the love of my life thank you our Lord .
I Love You Mom & Dad
Sharon started in the wig business at her mother's beauty shop way before she received her own business. As a little girl, she
had hands on hair and knew at a early age that she wanted to do
to work with hair her mom's shop was Lu Rue's on 496 1/2 Lyell Avenue back in the late 50's & 60's when Lyell was so beautiful . In the 50's Sharon decided to follow in her mother footsteps in the trade of Hairdressing. She attended the Continental Beauty School and got her degree in 1963. After that she went for more advanced training at the Chadwick of England Styling School and a completed her courses there.
Sharon was no stranger to this field, as she was trained by the best. During all those years she had extra training in Alternative Hair which is wigs, also she travelled to Toronto, Weehawken New Jersey, & also Boston for wig training which she receive beautiful degrees, which are shown all over her Studio. Sharon remembered once when her mother told to hold her hand out and Luo, Sharon's mother she laid a razor , shears , comb , blow dryer , & a wig , in her hand. Luo her mother ask her '' How heavy is that ?" Sharon answered, ''not heavy at all mom.'' and her mother said , ''Sharon , these will be the heaviest tools that you will have to hold in the trade that you are choosing for life of your business. Sharon also remember being in her Mother's shop as a child , playing with dolls , talking down taking down their and watching her mom do her client's hair. Sometimes Sharon would ask if I could comb the client's hair while they wait while they would be waiting for there appointment with her mother Luo . They said yes , She was only about 5 years old, but it made her so happy . The clients loved it and when she was done they would reach in their wallets and handed her twenty five cents. She knew she was not a stranger in this field and truly born Hairdresser.
In later years , Sharon married Samuel R. Grasta & that's where
Grasta's Beauty And Wig Studio had started Sharon mother business name was named Lu Rue's Beauty Shop it was on
496 1/2 Lyell Avenue . Sharon husband wanted to break away
from the old Lyell Avenue neighborhood and start a homestead on Flower City Park . So that's were the first Grasta's Beauty And Wig Studio started in 1973 in a three room basement with a complete studio . The address was 104 Flower City Park , now both mother & daughter had their own business. Sharon started in a neighborhood knowing no one but passing fliers from door to door walking from door to door 3 to 10 blocks long in the summer to winter. She was not going to give up , she made so many phone calls to reach out to people and that one on one was made it happen there was no advertisement mailed thru the mail but I did it the best way to meet the people face to face . By talking to them personally she won their hearts over!
Sharon's big heart and loving way brought her to do even more with her talents . She also worked in area hospitals , nursing homes , and senior , to care for them with hair and wigs . Her studio was always open by appointment only as to not take away
from the one on one service she would provide. After 13 wonderful years of building her business & meeting such loving sweet people her husband to relocate again and here Sharon started all over again but she ran both business commuting back and fourth from the city to Parma . The new Grasta's Beauty And Wig Studio is open in 1984 at 409 Parma Center Rd Hilton N.Y. And is here today she is in business for 59 years this December she will be in business will be for 60 years she has past her 50 years golden !
Sharon lost her Dad in 1999, His name was Dominic J. Russo but
all his friends called him D.J. Sharon then lost here very best friend , partner & mother , the late Lucille K. Russo ( Lu ) in 2009
" WHEN YOU LOSE YOUR PARENTS YOU HAVE LOST THE WORLD "
They were my mentors ," Sharon said . She was very close to her
parents as she was a only child ." With no siblings it is very lonely
without them. But having a loving husband by my side has made this heavy cross a little lighter to carry. I know my Mom & Dad are
looking down are so proud of their daughter. I could feel them watching over me from the heavens above I am never alone their with me! standing on my own two feet. I was not given a golden spoon in my mouth like other people start a business and not leaning on anyone , not even my wonderful loving husband Sam.
said Sharon " Thank you very much Dear Lord for granting me these wonderful parents that brought in this beautiful world and t
taught me so much . And my husband which is a cancer survivor
he is the love of my life thank you our Lord .
I Love You Mom & Dad