Featured in ICAN Around Town
LuRu’s Beauty Shop of Lyell Ave. Legacy Continues
By Deborah Ford
From 1949–1984, Lucille K. Russo owned the LuRu’s Beauty Shop on Lyell Avenue in Rochester. Her daughter, Sharon Grasta, has followed in her mother’s footsteps in the field of hairstyling and owns Grasta’s Beauty and Wig Salon in Hilton (see ad on this page). There is great pride between mother and daughter in their accomplishments in the cosmetology field, and it all began on old Lyell Ave.
Lucille opened her first salon at 448 Lyell Ave. She said, “I chose the location because of the amount of warm-hearted Italian people living and working there. All the merchants looked out for one another.” Her shop was located in front of the Surprise Bakery, below Dr. Alprone’s dentist office, next door to Ventura’s Barber Shop, and across the street from Shell Drugs.
Seven years later, she moved up the street to 496 ½ Lyell Ave. The salon was located next to Crown Photo, adjacent to Murray’s Drug Store, centered in the heart of the Avenue on the corner of Myrtle and Lyell. Across the street was Bastian’s Dress Store, and Corray’s Market.
Nine years later, she moved her shop to 539 Lyell. She lived and worked in the Holy Apostles Church and next to the Old Blue Swan neighborhood restaurant. She reminisced about the friendly and caring nature of her Italian-American neighbors. She stated, “When you were a store owner on the Avenue, everyone was one big family.”
Joseph Esposito’s Barber Shop (father of Gates Town Supervisor Ralph J. Esposito) gave little ones their first haircuts. Everybody loved him. And the late Margaret Camelio of Camelio’s Insurance was a wonderful neighbor and client. All of the children from the Lyell Avenue businesses grew up together, walked to Holy Apostles Church and School where they had their communions, confirmations, graduations, weddings, and enjoyed the neighborhood festivals. “My customers on Lyell Ave. were happy to come to the shop.”
“Lu” is equally proud of her daughter’s success. As a child, Sharon was always around her mother, looking and listening, while “Lu” talked to her customers. Sharon had a passion for styling hair since she was 4 years old, playing hairstylists on her dolls’ hair.
Her father, the late Dominic J. Russo, also saw her talent and encouraged her aspirations.
As a result, Grasta graduated from the Continental School of Beauty and Chadwick’s of England Beauty School, and now owns her own shop in her home, with the largest wig inventory in Western NY. Because of her extensive knowledge about wigs, doctors, nurses, and various illness support groups recommend Grasta.