Eleven months after being evicted from her former location and failing to take over Michael Anthony's business in Faunce House, hair stylist Lenore Ronci is happy with her new job at Salon Persia on Thayer Street.
Ronci is an institution on College Hill. For nearly 30 years, she styled the hair of members of the Brown community at her popular salon, Chez Lenore, which was located on the second floor of the Thayer Waterman LLC Building on the corner of Thayer and Waterman streets. But on Jan. 1, Ronci was evicted, along with five other business owners who shared the floor with her.
"The owner of the building told us we had to leave on Nov. 1 (2004)," Ronci said. "I was very surprised and disappointed. I began to look around for any extra space around here."
Ronci attempted to take over Anthony's location in the basement of Faunce. She even began a petition to show that people supported her decision to set up a salon on campus. However, Anthony owns the lease for the business in Faunce and refused to give up a salon he describes as "successful."
Anthony, who has worked in Faunce for 15 years, said Ronci's attempt to take over his business was uncalled for. "I was chosen by a committee of students and the people running Faunce House for my talents," he said. "The lease is not for sale. I would never sell my name and my good will. Someone from somewhere down the street can't come in and try to take over my business. That's not the way things are done, at least not in America."
Anthony, whose "Flat Tops and Fades" sign is well recognized by those who frequent Faunce, described his relationship with his clients as "great," adding that he "loves the students and the staff."
Although he said the antique barber pole revolving outside his door often causes people to think he is a barber, Anthony said he is in fact a hair stylist. He said the barber pole and the posters inside his salon are only there to give the space a little flair.
"This place has been in existence ever since the building went up," he said while cutting the hair of John Raff '09, adding that it is "unique" that "someone is carrying on a tradition like that."
Raff later described the $24 haircut as "pretty good." Even if other salons offered cheaper haircuts than Anthony's, "I'd probably stay here with him," Raff said. "He's a fun guy to talk to."
Despite her efforts to take over the space in Faunce, Ronci said she is satisfied with her new job.
"I don't think I'd go through the aches and pains of opening another business again," Ronci said. "I've already proved myself. Now that I don't have the responsibility of owning a business I enjoy my customers more. And all my students have followed me. I'm very happy here."
Ronci, who calls her customers "my following," said she was motivated to stay in the area by a desire to remain connected with a community she has become close to over the years.
"Students who came to me as freshmen would stay with me for their four years," she said. "You can imagine how many people have passed through these hands."
Professor of Religious Studies and East Asian Studies Harold Roth, who has gone to Ronci for haircuts for two decades, agreed that she inspires loyalty.
"Over the years she has given me so many excellent haircuts that I can't count them, and you can multiply my experience by the thousands of Brown faculty and students whose hair Lenore has cut," he said. "She is ... actually more an artist than a stylist. And she is also, by the way, one of the truly most compassionate people I have ever met."
Ronci spoke fondly of her old location. "The interior of the salon was very comfortable. We had a little couch and picture of James Dean on the wall. I had nice conversations with the students, who were ladies and gentlemen all the time. I was very motherly and they liked that," she said.
Ronci cited her experience, expertise and low prices as reasons customers return to her.
"I had a good price, of course," she said. "It remained $12 for 15 years. When the landlord started making changes with the rents I had to raise it to $17 (now $18), but it was the same for everyone whether you had long hair or short hair or any kind of hair."
