By Alyssa Jackson, Wayne Post
Kim Tran nearly died when fleeing from Vietnam when she was 25 years old. Her harrowing escape to Norway for freedom ultimately led her to the United States, a country for which she has endless love and respect.
Hair and Us moved locations from 1900 Clinton Ave. to 1988 Clinton Ave. Kim Tran cut the ribbon, with help from one of her sons, for the grand re-opening of the business she has owned for 15 years. (Wayne Post)
Tran is the owner of Hair and Us, a salon in Brighton that she has run for 15 years now. She inherited the salon when she bought it from the hair care franchise Fantastic Sams. As a successful business woman and hard worker, Tran is the perfect example of the very American dream that many assume is dead.
Tran fled Vietnam in 1979 due to the problems the country faced following the Vietnam War.
“We left because we were looking for freedom,” she said. “We were hungry for freedom.”
Travelling with her younger brother and sister, the three travelled by boat to Singapore before flying to Norway. On the boat ride, Tran faced emotional traumas.
“You should have seen the water,” she said. “You don’t even know where you are or which way is up because the water meets the sky and it’s all there is. You see the power [of the ocean] and how deep the ocean is. We were praying.”
After arriving in Norway, the siblings stayed for several years. But Tran said she was still “dreaming of America.” So, as a single mother with three children ages 12, 10 and 8, she travelled to the U.S. in 1999.
“Freedom is the most important thing for me,” said Tran. “We’ve gone through a lot so we understand the freedom here in the best way.”
Since moving to the U.S., Tran has worked hard with her business to become successful and to “repay” America for its hospitality. She often had her children travel while they were growing up, she said so they would better appreciate what they had here.
Tran’s eldest child is her daughter, who is now 28 and an RN at a hospital in Geneseo. Her two sons, now 24 and 26, are members of the U.S. Air Force. Tran said she is proud of all her children for working hard and helping others — a show of gratitude towards the U.S.
Although she loves the America, Tran does admit that she misses her parents, who still reside in Vietnam.
“I just miss my mom and dad,” she said. “They raised me and worked hard at their jobs.”
Hair and Us celebrated its grand re-opening on Aug. 26 after Tran had the salon moved from 1900 South Clinton Ave. to 1988 South Clinton Ave. The salon is a family-friendly business that provides hair cuts, coloring and waxing for all ages.
Although walk-ins are welcome at the salon, Tran stressed that appointments will ensure that there is time during their busy days to help everyone who stops by.
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