Cheshire Pizza

So here's a little peek at what I love shooting when I'm not shooting weddings. This was such a fun opportunity for me.  The husband/wife team that started the business is handing it off to their daughter and son-in-law. The son-in-law (Dimitri) wanted to preserve the character, heart and soul that was put into the restaurant.  Here's a little write up from the son-in-law. "What was intended to be a temporary opportunity to provide for one’s family turned out to be an amazing 40 year career for Mike and Hope Halkias, owners of Cheshire Pizza Restaurant. Mike and Hope have recently retired and daughter Rita and son-in-law Dimitri plan to take over the reign.

While this Cheshire landmark was able to provide for Mike and Hope’s family it also let them walk away with some invaluable friendships and memories.  The customers have become family to the couple and when asked about their retirement they stated that the customers is what they will miss the most.  When customers walk in you will often hear them call Hope “Mama”; she was a mother figure to many, even those that were older than her.

Leaving the place they called home for 40 years will definitely be tough on them however they are both proud and relieved that it will be staying within the family; allowing their legacy to continue and grow for years to come."

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Smoke & Mirrors Parlor | Small Business Feature

Weddings are my main gig but I love branching out and working on shoots like this. I'll be working on featuring new businesses, small businesses, vendors, etc. whenever I can carve out the time for it. I love capturing the "day in the life" of a business along with the details and people that make it run. It was a great way to start off with my friend Melissa and her amazing parlor Smoke & Mirrors Parlor. Here are some words from Melissa explaining what her parlor is all about :  

"My inspiration for the parlor came from the old fashioned sitting room in a private home. I worked for big "salons" and rented private space in the past ten years, and found myself and my clientele more comfortable in a private, more intimate, environment. I designed the parlor myself with the strong feeling that I wanted to bring it back 100 years. To a time where ladies and gentlemen would take their time to get groomed on a frequent basis. I wanted it to feel as though the parlor could have been there through a bend in time. Back then Walnut Beach was a summer destination to people all over the world, and that's what we are aspiring to bring back through the arts district.

We have acoustic music nights, live painters and graffiti artists, in house Vinyl DJ, N.E.B., and photo shoots.

The vibe of the parlor is relaxed, yet upscale. Private, yet warm. Uplifting to say the least. I'm so proud to own a business that people enjoy coming to. I took a risk going against the main stream, and it worked. No gossip magazines, no harsh chemicals, just uplifting conversation and stunning hair.

We also are a host to traveling stylists. We had two from LA in the month of April.

We're planning on having a break dancing/b boy event this summer stay tuned to our social media

We offer custom tailored men's and women's haircuts and styles. Bridal and event hair. Off site session styling at music venues / photo shoots/ music videos. Runway stylists. We use Ammonia free, vegan, gluten free hair color. "

 

Smoke & Mirrors Parlor is located in the Walnut Beach area of Milford CT.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Smokeandmirrosparlor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smokeandmirrorsparlor/

Website: http://www.smokeandmirrorsparlor.com/home

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