PARSIPPANY — For more than 25 years, A’Viance Hair & Nail Studio has been serving the Parsippany community. While so much has changed around their location on North Beverwyck Road, they’ve been a staple family-owned business for almost three decades.
“We were the second business to move into the mall here, and we’ve been here ever since,” says co-owner Marie Cannizzaro. “We’ve been here almost as long as the building has existed.”
Some of the biggest changes and challenges they’ve faced have resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic. Small and family-owned businesses have been impacted by the health & safety guidelines in the past many months, but A’Viance met the challenges and has worked for solutions to get them back to serving the community safely.
“It was devastating to us and very worrisome,” said Cannizzaro. “But we’re following the rules, and making sure we’re doing the right thing, not just for our employees, but for clients as well. Safety is the most important thing for us.”
Clients must wear a face mask, have their temperature taken, and sign a health form. A’Viance calls and serves clients in the studio one at a time, and sanitizes diligently in between each appointment.
Now, thanks to the new co-ownership with Patti Caravaggio, A’Viance is poised to remain a staple business in the community for years to come. Cannizzaro and Caravaggio have worked together for over 30 years, and the whole staff is eager to serve Parsippany.
“Come into the salon!” says Cannizzaro. “We’re a family salon. We welcome kids, guys, not just women. We’d just love to have you try us out if you haven’t already.”
A’Viance Hair & Nail Studio is located at 450 North Beverwyck Road. For an appointment, call them at (973) 335-3311
Many families would generally gather at the BAPS Mandir to celebrate this festival. However, due to all of the health and safety concerns this year, the BAPS organization provided live, interactive programs throughout the holiday season to bring the community together while suggesting activities that each family can partake in and share with others online. One such activity was the observation of New Year’s Day which occurs the day after Diwali. BAPS mandirs the world over celebrate this day by offering Annakut (Meaning of “Mountains of Food”) to the sacred images within the shrines of the mandir. The 100s of food items are generally made by followers of the faith in their homes and brought to the mandir. This year, however, families were encouraged to make fresh vegetarian delicacies and offer them to the images that are kept at home, with the same spirit and to share pictures of this and other Diwali activities online.
“My wife, Bijal Patel, and I have vivid memories of celebrating Diwali with great fanfare with my neighbors, family, and friends here at the local BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Parsippany for the last several years. This past year has been unprecedented! Diwali is no different. Despite the limitations that the pandemic poses in gathering with extended family and the larger community to celebrate, my family made the most of the virtual arrangements and programs that the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Parsippany made. From a Diwali at Home preparation kit to virtual facilitation of traditional Diwali rituals, my family and I felt like we were part of something a lot larger- right from the comfort of our homes! When I settled in New Jersey and started my family, I’ve always wanted to maintain the traditions of my culture but found it difficult to replicate many of those experiences for my children. The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir’s virtual Diwali celebrations helped us to keep that tradition alive- even this year. My kids especially enjoyed the Kids Diwali virtual program, which emphasized the importance of making good decisions and being a good person,” said Ronak Patel.
