QUEENSTOWN — In October 2022 Onyx Beauty Supply, Salon, and Barbershop opened in Queenstown Premium Outlets to fill a particular need. “Growing up here, raising two daughters, we always had to go outside of the area, often 35-40 minutes away, and even to other states to get hair and skin products compatible with our texture and skin tone,” recalls Deayna Ewell, co-owner of Onyx with her daughter Kay Bowser.
Before owning Onyx, the pair had already forged a business relationship with the Outlets. When Deayna’s mother, Pastor Annie Ewell, passed away, Kay returned from Atlanta where she trained as a phone repair technician. At the time, Ewell had over 30 years of corporate retail experience at the Outlets with The Loft, Express, Old Navy, and a five-year management program with Brooks Brothers. When the mother-daughter team put their heads together, utilizing Kay’s training as a phone repair technician, the women opened and operated a phone repair store in Queenstown for three years. “But Kay was forward-thinking,” recalled her mother. “She saw that the industry was changing and would not be a good fit in the long run.” In its place, their skills, experience, and drive produced a business that provided a much-needed service to the community and honored Annie Ewell’s community outreach legacy.
“We do all hair,” the shop’s motto proclaims. “When people come into our shop and ask ‘do you do the texture of my hair’ it sparks an instant conversation that shows that hair is not a race, it’s a texture.” And the barbers, braiders, and stylists at Onyx know how to service all of them. “We need to try to understand each other; we don’t need to be afraid of each other.” At Onyx it’s a common sight to see a white man getting his hair cut next to a black woman having her hair braided.
In the culture of community barbershops, Onyx upholds its role as a source of information, fellowship, and aid. “Everything goes back into how we can help our community. We do a lot of outreach here,” Ewell said. On March 24th Onyx will sponsor a prom dress giveaway at the salon. “We’ve had anti-bullying conversations in our shop with suggestions on how to handle a situation or where to find appropriate resources. Parents feel free to talk about issues that have occurred at school. And as a result, there have been situations resolved right here in the shop.”
As part of its community outreach activities, Onyx has sponsored three “Free cut / Quick style” charity events in support of back-to-school activities, families in need, and shelters for men and women. They’ve put on events to introduce the staff and business to the community, which resulted in Onyx receiving the awards of “Business With The Biggest Heart” and “Favorite New Business Owner” in community-voted awards.
At Onyx, care extends into the place where beauty and emotional well-being meet. Motivated by the experience that left a friend and cancer patient weeping and distraught from her treatment at a wig shop, Onyx carries a selection of wigs that Ewell cuts and styles to suit each woman. “I want to make the experience personal and private. We offer encouragement to people going through cancer treatment, and losing their hair to alopecia. We’ve done more of that than we’ve made money. But I say if that’s why I’m here we’ll keep going.”
As part of its goals, Onyx hopes to raise capital for expansion into alopecia/COVID/cancer hair loss solutions, apprenticeships for local cosmetology/barber school students, and additional salon/barber equipment. “Our name is spreading and we need our business to catch up with our name,” Ewell said.
Onyx Beauty Supply celebrated its first year this past November. “There were times when I felt like giving up. But then someone would come in and say “I’m so glad you’re here. We believe in our hearts that our communities, more than ever, need every opportunity to be united and come together for strength and encouragement in these tough and uncertain times. At Onyx we value creating a diverse and inclusive environment to support unity within our community, one customer at a time.”
Visit Onyx Beauty Supply and Barber at 439 Outlet Center Drive, Queenstown. Learn about their efforts to build an apprenticeship program for local high school barber and cosmetology students. They’re on the far, less traveled end of the Outlets, but well worth the visit.
Most Popular
Comments / 0