FF stylist enjoys making people feel beautiful
By Adam Nadeau
Special to The Star-Herald
Fort Kent native, Matthew Nadeau, officially opened his new hair salon, Bella Vita, in Fort Fairfield late last month.
Contributed photo
Stylist Matthew Nadeau really enjoys meeting new people and getting to know them. He is doing just that at his new salon Bella Vita in Fort Fairfield’s Village Square building. Opening his own business is a dream come true for the Fort Kent native who trained at Caribou’s Empire School of Cosmetology. 
The salon provides an extensive list of services to men, women and children including cuts, styling and color correction and Nadeau hopes to provide more services in the future such as tanning, nail services and waxing.
Nadeau says his specialties include color and new cuts; keeping up with current trends. Though starting a new business in a new town sounds like a rather intimidating endeavor, the shop owner is impressed with the growing clientele since the doors opened a short time ago.
Nadeau, 29, has been a professional cosmetologist for six years now, receiving his certificate of completion from Empire School of Cosmetology in Caribou. The course requires students to complete 1,500 hours of hands-on experience in the classroom. Upon completion of the course, students are required to pass a state board exam to acquire a professional license in cosmetology.
“There were a few obstacles that I needed to overcome,” said Nadeau about the path toward becoming a professional of his trade. He added, “Since becoming a stylist, it has been my goal to own my own establishment.”
After numerous hours of research and creating a solid business plan, the dream of Bella Vita came to life. “Location was key,” said Nadeau about the shop which is located in the Village Square building on Main Street in Fort Fairfield. The prime location has encouraged many residents of the town to stop in for a look around.
Nadeau’s shop also includes a selection of gift ideas for any occasion which are all made by the owner himself. He has long been into crafting for his side business, Matthew’s Village which specializes in primitive decorations and custom signs. Nadeau takes orders online and is proud to say that he has shipped to almost every state in the country.
When asked why he chose a career in cosmetology, Nadeau replied, “I really enjoy meeting new people and getting to know them! Everyone is beautiful and I like to make each and every one of them feel just that.”
Nadeau is planning a grand opening ceremony in the near future. “Bella Vita”, which is Italian for “Beautiful Life”, is open from Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon. He looks forward to growing his business with his many gifts and talents and is an inspiration for all, proving that you can achieve your dreams with hard work, commitment and determination.
