What do you think about...

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. 

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 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.