A salon owner in Connecticut sold his business to an employee for the price of $1.
Pio Imperati, the 79-year-old owner of Pio of Italy Hair Salon in New Haven, Connecticut, sold the studio for a pittance to Kathy Moura, 32, who began working at the store 15 years ago, as she was “worthy” of a “good foundation.”
“Pio noticed Kathy was special when she first came in for her interview with her mom. She was shy, family oriented and eager to learn,” the salon told the Washington Examiner in an email on Tuesday.
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After graduating from her technical high school around 2006, Moura had difficulty finding a job due to her lack of experience. The only salon that would give her a chance was Imperati’s. He gave her a tryout before eventually hiring her, and now Moura will inherit the salon’s building as well as all the equipment inside, according to the New Haven Register.
“Kathy was shocked when Pio told her about the price, she couldn’t believe it. A salon normally sells for thousands of dollars and here Pio was basically just giving it to her,” the salon said.
She will pay rent to Imperati, whom she retained as a privately contracted hairdresser, as he does not plan to retire any time soon. He has been in business since 1965 and has owned multiple locations across the state.
Imperati came up with the price because he thought it would be a way of allowing her to succeed and giving her a good foundation for her to start the running of the business, the salon told the Washington Examiner.
“Eventually, it was a dream of mine come true to be able to turn the salon over to someone worthy,” Imperati said in an interview with the New Haven Register.
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“We grew like a family. … That’s how he treats everyone who walks into the salon. Any person who works here, he wants you to flourish and become something of yourself,” Moura told the local outlet.
