What do you think about...

I also agree with what is being said. I live in Cincinnati Oh and there are no black hair care store owned by african americans. They just now started to hire black workers late last year. I was surprised to see at least one african american worker behind the counter and I know it is for language barrier purposes only, because I use to ask a question and they would have no idea what I was talking about. This still does not stop me from shopping there, because I am one of those people who can spend hours in the bss and wonder about each and every product even though many of the products I know does not work. The packaging is still attractive to me. It is also a joy to know that due to this and other hair sites, I can walk in a bbs and know what works and what does not. What i would not give to be a   bss buyer.

I try to stay out of those stores, if possible. I'll shop there only if Kroger/Walgreen's/Publix/Eckerd doesn't have the products. These stores (in my neighborhood) are black owned and within walking distance. If they don't have what I'm looking for, I'll go to the bss.

Also, on products that are carried by Kroger/Walgreen's/Publix/Eckerd as well as the bss, these stores are usually much cheaper than the bss anyways.

I don't personally have a problem with doing business with them per se. I don't like doing business with them only because they're usually people who will put their businesses in our neighborhoods, and then buy a house in white neighborhoods, have all white friends, send their children to all white schools. I'm not racist towards Asians or whites (most of my exes and my husband were either one or the other), I just feel if someone's going to avoid living near us, make their children avoid being near us, etc., then they should COMPLETELY avoid us, and that includes my going to their business.

This is a HUGE area, and there are 3 bss. And I haven't seen even ONE Asian family living in this area. And this is a good area with houses in a wide range of prices ($100,000 to over $800,000) and there is nearly no crime, and it's safe enough for a woman to catch the bus alone at 11 pm. But if they're too good to live in our neighborhood or interact with us, they should put their businesses where they live.

Just my .07 (that was a little too wordy to be .02)

I remember there use to be a bss in my old neighborhood, right across the street from my house infact.  And it was owned by Africans.  they sold African clothing, jewelry and soaps and toiletries and stuff like that, as well as your normal hair stuff....... but they didn't last long.  I guess they didn't get enough business. 

And not just some little pitiful scarf, but those HUGE "have to fold three times", "can use the pretty ones as a decoration on furniture" types of scarves.

Thanks to you all for your responses.

I have read them all thoroughly and appreciate hearing from you.

In the suburb here in California, there's one place that I actually frequented to purchase my instant weaves and hair care products.  The asian woman spoke okay English.  She hired a black female to run the counter.  She has a terrible attitude problem and does not want to assist the customer.  I refuse to go there anymore needless to say.  I found another place a little closer and not only are they very accomodating, but they are too asian.  There's 3 asian women.  One of them speaks perfect English.  She's around 30 I guess.  She is very nice and understands business.

I've noticed here...not to bash, but 'some' blacks have a tendency to have an attitude problem.  I'm sure some of you can relate.  They are busy being jealous or whatever they are, they just try to pass on their hang ups...letting personal feelings get in the way of 'business'.

That's my take on things anyway.

here in houston where i live, the main asian group is vietnamese. ive only known 1 korean gurl who went to school with me and the bss here are usually owned and operated by africans. the vietnamese ppl dont bother with other cultures because they prefer what i call "racial seclusion" from everyone else. they have there own strip of stores,some street signs written in their language, and give other ppl,especially blacks, dirty looks.

the thing with the african owners though, they really know how to rip u off on their prices. i bought some human hair from a small town where i go 2 skool and it was $10 less than the same exact one i usually get when i come home. all in all, business is business. owners will do what they want to pay the bills. and i dont think it truly matters that black hair care products are manufactured by non-black companyies(like pantene relaxed and natural by regular pantene pro-v. we need 2 stop being so frightened by other races when it comes to hair care,besides as long as it cleans,moisturizes, and conditions who cares what race squeezed the goo into the bottle!!!

i totally understand, but who knows if the black bss owner lives in the community??? over here most successful black business owners move out to the "white" neighborhoods,so their taxes do nothing for our ppl. it is ultimately up to us as the man said on the video 2 be economically educated to carry out a good business. when i say frightened, i dont mean we actually get scared of other races that own bss. i simply mean that we should look past the ppl selling the products,and just look to the products.

on another note: doesn't it suprise anyone else that most black hair care products contain mineral oil? from what i have read on this forum that is really bad for our hair, so why arent they catering to us when it comes to ingredients???

Edited by taggi

It's not like that in Atlanta. My neighborhood (Cascade/Ben Hill/Ralph D. Abernathy/Benjamin Mays) is perhaps 98% black. I'm basing that on what I see when I go out to all of the area stores (mostly black american/Jamaican/African owned) and from just being in the area for a long time.

The four white people I regularly see in this area are here because they're married to black people. It's a very mixed income area, with houses ranging from $90,000 to over $800,000. The mayor of Atlanta (Shirley Franklin) still lives in this area just as she did before she ever got involved in politics. I've met her on 3 different occasions, but I don't think she would remember me. One lady owns a children's therapy clinic on Ralph D. Abernathy, and she lives close enough to walk there every day. The lady who owns the child care center across the street lives in this area.

East Point, College Park, Lithonia, and parts of Stone Mountain are very similar.

Edited by Renata22