Bosnian sisters open dream BG business 30 years after Srebrenica massacre
Grand opening scheduled 20 years after parents emigrated from Bosnia
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Since the Bosnian Genocide in the early 1990s, Bowling Green has served as a place of refuge for thousands of Bosnian citizens – a dark stain for many of Bowling Green’s large Bosnian population.
Many of those immigrants’ children have now grown up to make the most of their parents’ sacrifices.
Two of those people are sisters Lejla and Seudina Nuhanovic look on, arm in arm, admiring their own business – a huge accomplishment both personally and culturally.
“We had a really great childhood, I would say. our parents made us feel like there was no worry in the world by being their daughters,” said Lejla.
“We never really knew what it was like to struggle just because my parents did a really good job,” added Seudina.
This October represents 20 years since the Nuhanovic family immigrated to Bowling Green in 2002, each parent losing their own father to ethnic cleansing.
“They actually came with hardly anything with that maybe a bag of clothes for the four of us,” said Seudina. “Maybe 100 bucks, if that.”
Lejla said, “I personally couldn’t imagine being that age and coming care with two very small children and wondering how you’re going to provide for them.”
Starting from humble beginnings in America, their parents worked hard, taking on extra jobs and third shifts to provide this exact opportunity for their girls.
“They really wanted to give us the American dream, and here we are living it,” said Seudina.
To honor everything their parents have done to make their dreams a reality, the young entrepreneurs tied their family name into their business.
“Our salon name is Nu Lox, and it stems from our last name,” explained Seudina.”I really wanted to incorporate our last name just because our parents practically gave me and my sister the world whenever they really didn’t have much.”
Lejla hopes her friends in the Bosnian community don’t forget the past but use their parent struggles and their sacrifices as fuel, making things even better for the next generation.
“Mom and Dad, thank you for everything you have done for our family,” Lejla said directly to her family. “I just love them so much.”
October, 20 years after their parents fled Bosnia, the sisters will hold a grand opening for their business, celebrating their parents’ love and sacrifices.
