Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jamicia Grigsby . We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Jamicia thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

I have always been a lover of all things hair and beauty and quite the DIY’er when it comes to doing hair. However, I never thought I would actually own my own store lol! When I relocated to a new area in my hometown Jacksonville, FL , I quickly realized how long our commute was to the beauty supply store (a minimum of 20 minutes one way); very inconvenient! The commute brought thoughts of opening my own store however, I honestly shrugged it off as I had no experience in that area beyond doing my hair and friends from time to time. A year later, the thought was still heavy on my mind and I couldn’t shake the thought of opening my own store. I shared the idea with my husband and a very small group of friends and family who all shared their excitement and the need for this type of space. With their support and encouragement, it became evident to me that I needed to do this.

Beyond the convenience factor, I knew this was something I wanted and needed to do in order to be the change in the industry that I wanted to see and increase representation African American women as owners. As the primary consumers of the hair and beauty business we own less than 5% of the beauty supply stores in the country. The thought of bridging this gap and creating a luxe vibe and shopping experience that I know so many women have desired really made me excited and that more determined to embark on this journey.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a wife, mother of 2 beautiful daughters and I have a Doctorate of Pharmacy. I’ve always enjoyed helping others and as a pharmacist it’s all about finding the solution that best fits that patient’s specific need. Eloure allows me to also use the love I have for helping others and finding the right fit but now instead of medicine, its finding the best hair & beauty options! It truly brings me so much satisfaction and joy to see our customers leave our store with a smile on their face because we’ve help them find something that makes them feel good and feel beautiful!

Eloure Beauty Supply will redefine the beauty supply shopping experience by creating a luxurious, modern, chic & fun storefront with knowledgeable beauty advisors dedicated to personalizing the shopping experience for each person that walks through our doors. We will also partner with local hair and beauty experts to host monthly in-store events/workshops. These events will provide customers with the education and resources necessary to better understand their hair, hair products and feel empowered in making informed hair and beauty selections. It will also offer a sense of community where women feel safe to ask questions, learn and receive trusted advice and tips for proper haircare, which is missing from our current shopping options.

We are so proud that we have been able to overcome some the obstacles in breaking into this difficult industry, opening our doors and the reception we have received from our community thus far.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

Initially, we didn’t realize how much a social media presence would lead to success in our business, but over time we came to realize how essential social media is and the impact it has already had for us in a short time frame. Neither my husband or I are big social media people, so it was hard trying to find our lane and figure out what and when to post. However, we were encouraged to start small using Instagram and Facebook platforms prior to our store opening. Our goal was to chronicle our journey and share it with our community; The good, the bad and the ugly.

My advice to anyone trying to build a social media presence, is to just start! Some posts will be a hit, some may not. The key is to remain consistent and be authentic. Your community will build itself because they will find things that resonate with them which helps your business and your brand.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

There have been so many moments on this journey where we have asked ourselves what did we get into?! The process to opening our doors was truly a journey of resilience, primarily due construction delays and the permitting required to open a commercial business. Our initial grand opening date was pushed back several times, and it seemed like every time we were close to the finish line something would happen and prevent it. Additionally, we were working to secure vendor accounts for products our community wanted, which proved to be very difficult due to the lack of established relationships. Without certain connections and access to a great amount of capital to make large orders, some vendors don’t even give you the opportunity to purchase from them. Regardless of the challenges faced, we persevered and opened Eloure Beauty Supply so that we could provide the shopping experience that our community desperately wanted and needed, and we are just very excited to continue this journey and see where it takes us!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.elourebeautysupply.com
• Instagram: elourebeautysupply
• Facebook: Eloure Beauty Supply
• Youtube: Eloure Beauty Supply
• Yelp: Eloure Beauty Supply
• Other: TikTok- Eloure Beauty Supply

Image Credits
QDotProductions (Quintez Simmons)