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Siblings Credit Family for Entrepreneurial Spirit
by Mike Ference
Bethel Park natives Judy, Ron and Lori Kragnes are siblings. They’re also entrepreneurs — each operates a business venture located on Library Road in Bethel Park. In fact, Judy’s business is right next to Lori’s. And Ron’s is just down the road.
Judy, the oldest girl in the family, has been running her business, Unique Beautique Hair Salon, for over 35 years. “I opened my full-service hair salon right out of beauty school — it was my first business and it will be my last,” she says. Serving men and women of all ages, Unique Beautique offers hair cuts, perms and colorings, as well as waxings, pedicures and manicures. “My clients come from all over — Mt. Lebanon, Baldwin, South Park, Finleyville and Pleasant Hills — and some are now third-generation customers,” Judy proudly points out. And, she adds, she gladly sends those customers next door to sister Lori if they want a tan or some fitness products.
Acknowledging that cost can be a big obstacle to starting one’s own business, Judy notes that her parents, especially her mother, influenced her decision to become an entrepreneur. “When I was young, I would always go to the hairdresser with my mom, and we always had fun. Later, when I started working at Isaly’s, my mom would take my paychecks and deposit them into a bank account,” she recalls. That fiscal move didn’t go over too well with Judy at the time — but in the long run it was worth it. “I paid my way through beauty school and was able to start my business right after I graduated,” she says. “So my mother knew what she was doing.”
And, Judy adds, she still has plenty of fun. “My customers look forward to getting their hair or nails done. We have a good time when we get together,” she says. Outside work, she enjoys spending time with the family. Since most of her family is still in the area, she says there are plenty of opportunities to get together — with many family gatherings taking place at one of brother Ron’s restaurants.
Ron Kragnes has always been in the food business. “My first job was with Isaly’s. Then I took a position with Sweet William’s, a subsidiary, and I eventually ran a division of eight of these restaurants in New York City,” he explains. “When I decided to leave, I was fortunate to join Freddie’s Grill on Library Road with a good partner who really knew his way around the industry.” That was in 1980; Freddie’s II, a full-service restaurant, opened just two years later with expanded hours and a liquor license. While Freddie’s Grill, open from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., continued to offer more of a diner atmosphere, Freddie’s II quickly established a reputation as a great place for Prime Rib. Both eateries also tend to feel a lot like the bar from Cheers — everyone knows each other’s name, Ron says.
Most customers are from the area, and Freddie’s II has become a mainstay of local dining and nightlife. “Our customers know they can get a good meal without going downtown,” says Ron. “They like each other’s company and they like to party, so we try to accommodate them.” At least once a month Ron plans some type of special event. “Obviously, we’ll have something for the Super Bowl, but we’ll also celebrate Fat Tuesday before the start of Lent,” he says. Other events include Thursday night specials of home-cooked meals. “And we’re becoming well-known for our seafood dishes, especially our crab cakes,” Ron adds. “Lobster is another favorite.”
While Sundays traditionally mean patrons lined up outside the door for breakfast at Freddie’s Grill, Ron says that breakfast is becoming more popular at Freddie’s II as well. “We can accommodate larger groups at Freddie’s II and we can open up a party room if necessary.”
Like his sister Judy, Ron remains enthusiastic about his business. “It’s a lot of work,” he admits. “But I love it — it’s my passion.” Both credit their parents for their strong work ethic. “Although my mother never worked after I was born, with eight children, she washed more clothes everyday than most mothers do in a week,” Ron says. “And my dad worked everyday and then came home and worked some more, helping my mother raise eight kids and doing a great job.”
Lori, the youngest of the sibling entrepreneurs, remembers hardworking family members as well. “My grandfather worked until he was 72. He was forced to retire after someone turned him in for his age,” she recalls. “Then he packed up and moved to West Virginia where he ran an apartment complex until he was 90. He lived to be 104 years old.”
Like Ron, Lori gained experience in the workplace before setting out on her own to open All American Nutrition in Bethel Park. “I was in sports nutrition for about 15 years, including several years as a power lifter,” she says. Her shop delights the fitness-conscious with a wide selection of vitamins, low-carb foods, weight-loss pills, protein powders, and workout clothing — all at wholesale pricing. “Our success starts with our branded products — we only use companies whose reputation is well-known — and with our ability to counsel customers on just what they need,” Lori explains.
The company also has a Web site, Allamericannutrition.us, where customers can order products nationwide. “The local athletes who go on to college like it because they can still order the products they need. And we have a special arrangement for students from several colleges, so they don’t pay any shipping,” Lori points out.
Her shop also includes five tanning booths, massages by Laurie King, commercial-grade weightlifting equipment, and swimsuits, and she’s planning to add an air brush tanning station. In the near future, a local tattoo artist will be setting up shop as well.
Lori acknowledges doing some cross-marketing with her two siblings to promote her business, but her marketing efforts go far beyond family. Her fitness girls do promotions at area nightclubs, and Lori also works with local health clubs promoting her nutrition products.
Given the opportunity to interview three entrepreneurs from the same family, I asked each who Donald Trump would choose as his next executive if they were the last three contestants on his popular reality show. For the record, Lori was the unanimous pick, which means she also voted for herself, but clearly all three have proven their entrepreneurial pedigree and earned their parents’ pride.
