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NOV. 25, 2018, BROOKLYN WEEKLY
BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
Pilo Arts Salon celebrates 40 years in business
Forty years ago, women entering
the work force were expected
to do their jobs, serve
coffee to their male bosses, and
then take on all family responsibilities
in the evening.
When did a woman have
time to sit down and enjoy a cup
of coffee for herself?
Pilo Arts co-founders Elena
Solitario and Paul Pastore set
out to change that. When they
opened the salon in the late ’70s,
the goal was to create a special
place where women could be
pampered. Sure, they could get
their hair done, but more than
that, a staff member would ask
if they would like a cup of coffee,
a drink of water, or perhaps
a glass of wine.
“It meant a woman didn’t
have to get up and get it herself,”
says Solitario. And that meant a
lot.
This simple customer-service
strategy, combined with
professional salon services, is
why Pilo Arts is celebrating its
40th anniversary. Today, three
generations of women — and
men — continue to patronize
Pilo Arts.
“We make you feel special,”
says Solitario. “We make you
feel welcome. We make you feel
important. It’s an uplifting experience.”
This milestone anniversary
speaks volumes about the company’s
leadership, foresight, and
its ability to institute changes.
“We’ve survived many recessions,
wars, natural catastrophes,
and 9-11,” she says. It
wasn’t easy, but they learned to
adapt. When steady customers
faced hardships like the loss of a
job, which forced them to think
twice about spending money on
a haircut, Solitario told them to
come in anyway. “We took care
of them,” she says.
Pilo Arts’ reputation in the
business is unmatched. The
beauty salon has earned countless
awards, and is consistently
voted one of the top color salons
in the area. Pastore is a color expert,
with many loyal clients.
“He is the best in the business,”
says Solitario. “A real talent.”
He’s one of the reasons why
so many customers are stopped
on the street and asked, “Where
do you get your hair done?”
The company has always
been, and still is, extremely generous
to the community, providing
donations to every organization
that asks. That’s because
Solitario believes “it takes a
village” to improve the quality
of life for all. In fact, when
Pilo Arts opened in Bay Ridge
40 years ago, it didn’t have as
many businesses as it does now.
She and Pastore were instrumental
in meeting with other
owners in the area and sharing
ideas about ways the neighborhood
could be enhanced. They
wanted to make Third Avenue
a place that people would enjoy
visiting, and the area has long
reaped those benefits.
But Solitario says it is she
who is humbled to serve.
“We thank our clients, the
community, and most of all, our
colleagues. They are the ones
who share our vision and deliver
every day.”
Solitario’s son, Jude La-
Barca, is the company’s CEO,
and Solitario credits him with
strong leadership skills. When
asked about Pilo Arts’ future, he
doesn’t hesitate: “To celebrate
Pilo Arts’ 50th anniversary.” He
also spills the beans that a second
Pilo Arts location is in the
works for Staten Island.
Stay tuned.
Pilo Arts Salon and Spa 8412
Third Ave. between 84th and 85th
streets in Bay Ridge, (718) 748–
7411, www.piloarts.com. Open
Wednesdays and Thursdays, 10
am – 8 pm; Fridays, 9 am – 8 pm;
Saturdays 8:30 am – 6 pm; and
Sundays, 9 am – 4 pm.
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