“This was my goal,” Lor said of opening his own business. “I wanted to have my own shop someday. But it took me almost 15 years.”

How did you and your family end up in Madison?

In like 1979, (the Thai government) tried to eliminate all the camps so we (were) sent to a second one, and after the second one my family, they had to decide to come here or go back to Laos. My parents did not want to do either one so we escaped from the official refugee camp to live with Thai people. And then, like 10 years later they closed all the camps and we (were) stuck in the middle. Then the Thai government took us and registered us and told us we had to come here.

When you got here what did you do?

I went to school. I was barbering in Thailand for four years so when I came to this country it took me three and half years to learn English, go to (Madison Area Technical College) and get my (barber’s) license. And then I went to work at Dick & Arnie’s (Barber Shop, in Middleton) for almost 10 years.

Did you need a license to cut hair in Thailand?