B Parlour: Hazlet Home Salon Owner Says Business Is Booming

HAZLET, NJ — Even without big scissors and a fancy ribbon to signal its arrival, B Parlour has been doing pretty well since doors first opened in November of last year.

"We're swamped," owner Kelly Moraes said.

Last weekend, however, the salon finally got the overdue big opening ceremony that the COVID-19 pandemic delayed. Mayor Tara Clark and the Hazlet Business Owners Association joined in the celebration.

"The business association showed up with huge scissors that cut very well, which I wasn't prepared for," Moraes joked.

Over a breakfast buffet and champagne, Moraes was able to at last commemorate the salon she and her husband built in the house they bought when they moved to Hazlet over three years ago.

The location had previously been another salon (which closed in 2017) and the couple liked the concept so much they decided to revive the space. Moraes said it looked like a time capsule that had not been touched in years and years.

"I love when people who were clients of the salon 20 years ago, 30 years ago come in just to see the place and they're amazed how it still has a nostalgic feel."

The salon's decoration gives a nod to the past with its mid-century modern retro style with a modern twist.

READ MORE: Hazlet Family Opens Nostalgia-Tinged Home Beauty Salon

Business has been growing steadily. Moraes is struggling to keep up with demand and trying to expand her team of five stylists (counting herself). She is currently looking for licensed stylists or students who want to build their training hours.

Before moving to Hazlet, Moraes and her husband Anthony owned and operated a restaurant in Newark for about nine years. He took care of the food and she took care of the business.

Moraes went to beauty school while the couple was preparing the opening of the new venture. The husband now works at Facebook as a chef in one of the company's New York City offices. He still helps out in the salon, taking care of anything that needs fixing and sometimes doing carpentry work.

"We're intertwined with the neighborhood," Moraes said. "I enjoy all the ladies that come in here. I enjoy all the banter going back and forth."

The B Parlour, located at 600 South Laurel Avenue, is open Wednesdays through Fridays, 8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Seniors and first responders are eligible for a 15 percent discount.

More information about services is available here.