So, why aren’t there more black-owned beauty supply stores in the U.S.? Nikki Crawford, owner of 3 Sisters Beauty Supply store in Plano, Texas, enlightened us to some of those reasons … a few of which may shock you. She also shares advice on the truth about lace front wigs, why she can sell hair for less, and what will set 3 Sisters apart from its competitors. –adrienne donnell
Why did you decide to open 3 Sisters Beauty Supply Store?
Whenever we went into stores, there was no one really there to help with anything. If I did have a question about something, it was almost like you were treated as if you should already know. There’s no other demographic of people that have been treated the way we get treated when you go to a store and you continue to go back. It’s asinine.
How important is it for you to sell hair in your store?
Your main [source] of money when you open a beauty supply store, comes from hair [weave and wigs]. It’s not from shampoos, conditioners, or relaxers ’cause the markup on those products [is] not that high.
Was it hard to get the top hair brands on the shelves at 3 Sisters?
All of the hair is owned by non-black owned companies and so what happened is they’ve made it to where they’ll open accounts for each other, but they won’t open them for us. Some people have been able to open accounts but it’s not always the high-end hair.
How are you able to sell your hair for less?
By cutting out the [the middle man], I’m able to bring the price down. Just because you don’t see the brand name on the packaging, doesn’t mean that the quality of hair is any less. We’re carrying the Virgin Remy Indian Hair at $90 a bag, compared to about $135 elsewhere.
Tell us about the custom fitting you provide at 3 Sisters.
We provide custom fitting for lace units in [the] store. That way it fits securely on your head. … With a custom lace front unit you can wear that without utilizing the glue. That way you can still take care of your hair underneath.
What will set 3 Sisters apart from competitors?
… We make sure to carry the products people are looking for. We also have events where stylists come out to do demonstrations. Most importantly, we provide excellent customer service.
For more information on opening your own black-owned beauty supply store or to support one near you, log on to www.bobsaone.org.
