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something we talk about often is why there aren't more black owned beauty supply stores, and the other day i went to the only one in my area and had a loooong conversation with the owner
i noticed that a lot of the products cost more than they would @ places i normally go to, + it didn't have some of the brands i normally buy, or the hair i was looking for - i know a bit about supply chains so i asked her on the way out, what's her experience w distributors like?
and that's when she started telling me about how so many brands, well known brands who cater to WOC/BW and have been posting all this BLM stuff lately, just will not let her buy their products. brands will straight up ghost her, or put crazy minimums on what she needs to buy
and so because of that, she's forced to raise her prices on what she can get her hands on. anyway, i think it's a story that needs to be told! we don't often talk about the structural barriers to entrepreneurship, despite how much we recommend it
and we ask the question so often, why aren't we taking back the 'beauty supply' space when we're the ones keeping these brands and stores afloat, but i don't know how often store owners are given the opp to share their experiences and answer that question
if you're ever in Elmont, the shop is Jada's Luxury Beauty Supply! the owner is the nicest person I've ever met, I loved talking to her, and she has a lot to say, if anyone ever wanted to like, write a piece about this very interesting topic :) https://jadasluxurybeautysupply.com/about/
i didn't expect this thread to gain any popularity but i'm glad it did! i just want to reiterate that every facet of our society is impacted by structural racism, to a much deeper degree than we can even fathom at any given time. there's always a reason for everything!
if you're a writer, please reach out to Jada (or me I guess)! so often the consumer is blamed or cited as the reason for businesses and business owners of color not succeeding, because these structural instances aren't given any light. i think someone needs to write that article!
