Colors
Twenty years of talent friendship and consistency
by Pattie Cinelli
C
olors Progressive Salon owners Fred when Fred had just opened the smaller shop
Nester and Angela Coller defy the in the current location. “I had been working
odds. Hair stylists are notorious for in another shop, needed a change and heard
changing salons, changing cities or just dis- about Colors’ excellent reputation.” The rest
appearing. Not only have stylists Fred and is history.
Angela stayed on the Hill in one location Fred is known for his precision cuts with
for 20 years, but they also have clients who personality. He sees 12 to 15 clients a day,
have kept returning for all that time regard- who Fred describes as ‘all different’. “They
less of where they have moved. One woman satisfy my social needs,” which are consider-
flies in from Brentwood, Ca., another drives able. Fred grew up in a family of 12. He’s
481 miles every six weeks to
get her hair done and others
come from Seattle, Maine,
New Mexico and Arizona
for Fred and Angela’s spe-
cial touch.
202-544-6060 Located upstairs at 613
Pennsylvania Ave., SE, the
1308 Constitution Ave., NE
the
unmarked door next to the
Center for 21st Amendment is easy
Traumatic to miss if you don’t know
Stress Studies, PLLC
where you are going. The
Thoughtful treatment of trauma, depression, and stress obscure entrance is on pur-
pose. Walk-ins are not en-
Judy B. Okawa, Ph.D. couraged.
“They never overbook,”
Licensed Clinical Psychologist, jokawa@gmail.com said Tasha McGinn who
Therapy, psychological evaluations, consultation and training
discovered Colors from sev-
eral referrals when five years
ago she put out an SOS for
Ronda Bresnick Hauss a stylist on the Mothers on
Licensed Clinical Social Worker the Hill (MOTH) website.
Tasha used to have to get
Supporting you in having a healthy & productive life. her hair cut and colored ev-
Psychotherapy for adults ery six to eight weeks. Now
using an integrative & holistic approach: she said her hair looks good
traditional talk therapy, meditation, from the time she gets it
& creative, non-verbal techniques. cut to the day she walks in
1308 Constitution Ave., N.E. again, which is about three
times a year. “It’s all about
202.544.5050 the client. They know we
www.quietwaterscenter.com don’t have a lot of time and
they are considerate of that.”
Tasha is the mother of 3-year-old O’Nalley uncle to 30 and a grand uncle to 50.
Anne who received her first hair cut from Angela, who also does manicures as a
Angela when she was just 1-year-old. “I service for clients, laughed when she said
Martina Washington have more fun when I walk into their shop. she likes her clients ‘chemically dependent’
Colon Hydrotherapist I laugh because they’re so upbeat and so re- and sees about six to eight customers a day.
laxed. Each client is important to them.” “We have a unique situation. We both con-
Fred first opened Colors in 1989. In those sult with clients before hands-on work and
Colon Hydrotherapy & Aqua Chi Detox System
days he had a large staff. He had been think- we share a lot of clients.” They shut down
426 8th Street, SE 2nd Floor ing about downsizing when the recession the shop when they take vacation and both
Washington, DC 20003 of the ‘90s hit. Angela joined him in 1992, rarely get sick.
202.544.9595 Ph 202.544.1357 Fx
E-mail: carmelvoice@aol.com
Fred Nester and Angela Coller. Photos by Andrew Lightman
www.newlifewellnesscenter.com
112 ★ HillRag | June 2009
DC’s Premiere Waxing Salon & Dermalogica Skincare Center
“The personal relation-
ship we have with our clients
keeps bringing them back,”
said Fred. “I have a great
Facial Waxing
Smoothing Body
skinbeauty lounge
Customized Facials
Exclusive Bikini Therapy
memory. We’re more than Treatments
just their hair stylists. We’re Lash & Brow Tinting
their friends.” Body Skin Bronzer
Ruth Hargraves, who has Brazilian Bikini Wax
been going to Colors for about
10 years agreed. “Fred’s an all- Anti-Aging Treatments
service hairdresser. When I was
thinking about ordering kitch-
en cabinets and complained to
Fred about not knowing how to
202.543.6993
measure them, he came to my
house and measured for me.”
4041/2 8th street SE Eastern Market Metro
Ruth is not alone in her de-
votion. Customer Gina Adams www.skinbeautylounge.com Open until 9pm Tues-Thurs
couldn’t say enough about the
‘amazing job’ done to her hair
at Colors, where she has been NANCY L. LITHGOW, RN, MSW
going for more than 10 years. Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker
“The real test of a great cut is
when I’m at the end of my eight Individuals, Couples & Families
weeks and I get compliments
on my hair. Fred is an incred- Mothers & Infants
ible artist. Fred can assess each Counseling & Psychotherapy
client and his/her needs, then
make them look fabulous yet when talking to friends and family isn't enough
consistent with a client’s indi-
vidual style.” 202-543-7700
Angela, whose coloring
101 6th St., NE and 1616 18th Street, NW
abilities are legendary, can low
light Gina’s hair so that “no
one knows I am doing it. It is
so natural.”
Fred describes their busi-
ness as ‘personal’ that takes
clients from ‘cradle to grave.’
They style the hair of people
who start as children, become
adults, then parents. “We hope
that never changes,” said An-
gela. One day when Gina was
having her hair colored, three
generations of women walked
in for cuts. “I’m not sure who
was the client but Fred, in his
unbelievable wisdom, made
each look fabulous.”
Both Fred and Angela agree
that they are blessed. “I would
have burned out years ago from
just hairstyling. It’s the personal
relationships with clients that
keep me going,” said Fred.
To contact Colors Progres-
sive Salon call 202-543-1963.
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