Alicia Acuna-Vacca-Founder/Owner
Becoming an expert hair stylist and salon owner may have been destiny for Alicia, who spent her teens coloring friends’ hair in the high school locker room before deciding to turn her first love into her life’ work.
A licensed stylist since 1997, Alicia is a master in her craft with a passion for hair color, keeping up with the latest techniques and hair trends on the fashion scene. She specializes in creating long, sexy cuts, short precise bobs, and of course, creative, dramatic funky color. whatever her clients’ needs, Alicia creates individualized styles that flatter. A firm believer in continuous education, Alicia stays ahead of the curve by organizing & attending classes with her staff. For four years, she also worked as a color educator, traveling to salons and stylists across the region to share her skills and knowledge.
Dates and Times for salon appointments: Mon. 10am-6pm, Tues. 10am-8pm,Thurs 11am-8pm, Fri 10-6, Sat 10-5
Joe Vacca
Partner with his wife Alicia, Joe is a Montclair high school alumni and has resided in Montclair ever since. With a BA degree from University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) Joe entered the corporate world building his sales and management experience before venturing into self employment. As highly motivated entrepreneurs and business owners, Joe and Alicia decided to combine there artistic and business skills to create their first hair salon formally known as Alicia’s Hair Design. With the help of a great team and staff the move to “Hair 491” at the vault at 491 Bloomfield Ave was a natural transition and growth path for their successful hair salon.
Nick Calabrese- Stylist
Nick has been a hair stylist practically since birth. He spent his childhood cutting and styling the hair on his sister’s dolls, and one of his favorite gifts ever was a hair mannequin from his parents for the holidays. So it’s no surprise that in high school, he became his friends’ and family’s go-to cut, color, and style.
In 2005, Nick turned pro, graduating from the Artistic Academy where he won numerous awards for his skills and creativity. He can now be found at Hair491 crafting fresh and personalized cuts, along with putting to work his expertise creating color, highlights, balayage, ombre, and special-event styling.
Nick takes pride in his passion for hair and has continued his education at every opportunity training with Wella, Academia, Donna Bella Extension, and Uberliss Keratin, just to name a few.
And why does he do it? To capture your vision and bring your inner beauty out. Nothing less. Let Nick put a lifetime’s experience to work for you.
Dates & Times for Appointments: Tue. 1-8| Wed. 10:30-6| Fri. 11-6| Sat. 9:30-5:30
Kimberly Batarlis- Senior Stylist
Kim comes from a long line of hair stylists, following in the footsteps of her mother and grandmother. These strong women inspired her as she progressed from giving her Barbie braids to becoming an outstanding stylist with a loyal following.
She fell in love with the beauty of the business from countless hours spent at her mother’s salon and became a professional hair stylist while still a teen, earning an award for outstanding performance in cosmetology. Today, Kimberly keeps her skills sharp and stays up-to-date on the industry’s ever-changing techniques by continuing her education with Paul Mitchell, Redken, Coppola, L’Oreal, Matrix, Toni & Guy, and more.
Specializing in creative cuts and color for both women and men, Kimberly has been part of the Hair491 family for over 6 years. She strives to provide each client with an exceptional experience that leaves them feeling gorgeous and radiating self-confidence when they leave the salon.
Dates & Times for Appointment: Wed. 10-6| Thur. 11-9| Fri. 12-6:30|Sat. 9:30-5:30
Natalie Pietrasiak- Senior Stylist
After becoming a professional stylist 15 years ago, Natalie joined our team in 2006. For the last 13 years, she has provided her clients with exceptional service, plus a positive attitude that always puts people at ease. She loves how a simple cut, color, and style can have a positive impact on clients, and her expertise creating fresh, unique looks have earned Natalie high praise from her loyal following.
Growing up, Natalie shared a love for hair and make-up with her mother. In her early teens, she started asking her hair stylists questions about hair color at every appointment. It wasn’t long before she made her passion her profession.
Today, Natalie loves her work more than ever. She prides herself on listening to clients and making sure they feel comfortable and heard throughout their appointments. For Natalie, each day at Hair491 is a new opportunity to make her clients feel as beautiful both inside and out.
Dates & Times for Appointments: Mon. 10-6|Thur. 12-9|Fri. 10-6:30|Sat. 9-5
Gabrielle Neira- Stylist
A top graduate of the Capri Institute, Gabrielle has an eye for color and background in art and fashion. She finds creative expression both in and out of the salon, creating hair styles ranging from timeless classic to fashion-forward for photo shoots, weddings, and all of life’s special events. Whether she’s at the salon or exploring the great outdoors with her Great Dane, Gabrielle brings an unquenchable thirst to find beauty in the world to every experience in her life.
While still studying her craft, Gabrielle discovered that color, cut, and style can turn a client’s whole day around, a powerful experience that drove her not only to master hair styling but also to become a certified specialist in Keratin, makeup, and extensions.
Gabrielle loves a challenge, from cutting edge color to eclectic cuts. She prides herself on listening and collaborating with clients at every visit, creating looks that are on trend, easy to care for, and will make you leave the salon smiling.
Dates & Times for Appointments: Tues. 10-8| Thur. 11-9| Fri. 10-6:30|Sat. 9-5:30