As a young girl in Montenegro, Filya Ljucovic was always interested in hair and makeup. Little did she know that someday, after immigrating to America, she would turn that interest into a thriving business.
At Filya’s Hair Salon on Fifth Avenue, Ljucovic styles, cuts and colors hair, and provides waxes. She has run her own salon since 2006.
Despite all the challenges of running her own business, Ljucovic has developed a loyal following in Pelham and neighboring communities. Filya moved to the United States with her husband at the age of 18. She didn’t speak a word of English when she arrived, but over time picked up the language without the aid of any courses.
Ljucovic attended the Westchester Beauty Academy in Mount Vernon where she mastered the arts of cutting hair and related esthetic skills, completing the program by logging the necessary 1,000 hours of practice required for graduation.
Following school, Ljucovic worked at a hair salon in Harrison for one year and then in 2004, took a position in Pelham at Debra’s Dos salon, where she could develop her skills while working for a founder with a strong customer base. Two years later, tragedy struck when Debra, her new mentor, died. Ljucovic faced a big decision, whether to take the safe route and find a job with another established hair stylist, or scramble to come up with the money to buy the salon from Debra’s family and go out on her own
Ljucovic, just 29, decided to go for it. She bought the business.
“It was always my lifelong dream to own my own business,” she wrote in an email. “As a hairdresser I lived in the neighborhood. I had a young son. His schools were nearby and it gave me the opportunity to go to his ball games and all his school activities. I feel terrible that the previous owner was ill and passed away. May she rest in peace, but I love being there, have great clients that I love in the neighborhood. And I hope to be there for many, many more years to come.”
The early years at her salon were a challenge.
“The beginning of business was hard,” Ljucovic said in an interview. It was difficult for many of Debra’s clients to keep coming after her death. “But now some of them have come back,” she said.
At times, Ljucovic admits she wasn’t sure she’d make it. But she persevered and eventually developed her own base of loyal clients by doing a great job with the women who came in for styling, and developing a bond with them. Getting a treatment at Filya’s isn’t just about the haircut—it’s about the talking, laughing, and chemistry she enjoys with her clients. “You need a lot of patience, time, and you can’t expect a lot of money at first,” Ljucovic said. It has taken time–almost 20 years–but her patience has paid off.
“I have never used any advertising, except for maybe one year I ran one ad during the holidays when I started out.” Ljucovic said when asked about how her business has grown. “All my clients have come from word of mouth, and Moms of Pelham has helped my business grow as well,” she said.
One client, Alissa Bernstein, has been going to Filya’s since she moved to Pelham eight years ago. “I heard about Filya because my friend went to her salon and she recommended her to me.” Bernstein said. “I love going to Filya because she always listens to what I want and talks through any issues or concerns about my hair with me. She is awesome at color and I always feel great when I leave her salon.” And like many of Ljucovic’s clients, it’s become a family affair, as Bernstein’s daughter now goes to Filya’s salon as well.
After nearly two decades in business, Ljucovic still does the bulk of the cutting and styling at the salon herself. She works with her sister Julie, who washes hair and helps take phone calls. “My favorite parts of running the salon are doing highlights and being able to pick my own hours,” Ljucovic said.
It’s been a long journey from Montenegro to Pelham, but after decades of hard work and attention to detail, Ljucovic has reached a stage when she can enjoy the fruits of her labor.
