A new local Black-owned and operated beauty center hopes to build a new clientele
The exterior of Phenix Salon Suites in Laurel, Maryland, where Sensational Beauty Center is located at 13600 Baltimore Ave, Laurel, MD 20707. (Yelp)
Black-owned and operated, Sensational Beauty Center in Laurel, Maryland provides a variety of different products. From bundles to haircare products, they claim to provide a welcoming environment and great customer service.
Co-owner A.J. Messam claims to provide a convenient spot for hairstylists and their other target consumers who may not want to shop at an Asian-owned supply store, where he alleged that he had been racially profiled before.
“I noticed that nowadays we are having a war between Asians and Blacks when it comes to beauty supply stores because Asians are looking at us in a different way — they think we are stealing from them and it has become a habit,” he said.
This constant cycle of discrimination led Messam to open a beauty supply store. He wanted to start his business specifically in this building because he noticed the majority of other occupants were Black.
“People have been saying ‘we need Black this’ and ‘we need Black that’ and it is like hey, we are here. We are open. Come on,”
In terms of the pricing, Messam claims to have done his “homework” and compared Sensational Beauty Center’s prices to other beauty supply stores such as Hair Plaza in Laurel, Maryland and other online stores, stating their prices are cheaper.
“We look at their [other beauty supply] prices and we come down three to four dollars. We try to match their prices as much as possible — we try to beat them if possible,” he says.
When compared to Hair Plaza, a beauty supply store two doors down from Sensational, the prices of similar items are definitely comparable. For example, an 18.5-ounce container of Cantu styling gel is $4.99 at Sensational Beauty Center but $5.49 at Hair Plaza. On the other hand, a three-ounce container of Moco De Gorila Punk Squizz Snot Gel was $5 at Sensational and an 11.99-ounce container of the same product was $4.49 at Hair Plaza. This shows that although there are certainly cheaper items at Sensational, you should do your research at numerous outlets before buying.
A shelf of hair products at Sensational Beauty Center. Many of the products are comparable to other shops around the area. (Jasmine Boykin/Black Explosion)
Although this specific store has been open since October 5, the original Sensational Styles Beauty Center, located in Beltsville, was a “one-stop-shop” with hair, eyebrows, massage, pedicures/manicures and a beauty supply store all in one. But after unresponsiveness and poor management on behalf of the landlord, Messam closed up shop and reestablished in Laurel.
“The goal is to spread the word about one-stop shopping and make it a thing here in the North because it is a thing in the South, but not here, and I am trying to change that,” he said.
Messam also sells his own fashion line “Flawless” at the shop, which promotes body positivity and marks all his clothes the same price, regardless of the piece’s size.
“We want to show everybody that we cover you at all sizes at a fair price,” he said.
“I think it is important because a lot of people do go to get their supplies, hair, everything so why not go to a Black-owned [establishment],” the manager of Sensational Beauty, KniAnn Wheeler-Black said.
Wheeler-Black is also in charge of the beauty center’s social media pages and advertising along with Messam. As a teenager, she provides a different and youthful perspective to help promote the business.
“To me at first, I was thinking ‘wow I have to do [social media] all by myself but we have someone who is younger who knows social media. Like I thought I knew social media to a ‘T’ and she taught me some stuff that I did not know. Everyone feeds off of her social media. They like it, they retweet it and they are promoting it,” Messam said.
When the existence of Sensational Beauty was told to Black University of Maryland students, there were some who were surprised to hear about a local Black-owned and operated beauty supply store.
“I think there is definitely a lack of Black-owned beauty centers that encompass nails, hair, and eyebrows in the area,” said sophomore public health major Edila Fogan.
Similarly, sophomore public health major, Voke Ajuchi agreed saying, “it is important to invest in your community and furthering the success of people and people like you — you have to seek improvement and that starts with everyone making an effort to improve what we have now and supporting that.”
Sensational Styles Beauty Center is located at 13600 Baltimore Ave, Laurel, MD 20707 and is open from Tuesdays-Sundays 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. (8:00 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays,) 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Saturdays, and closed on Mondays.