A pioneering new venue for the North’s Black beauty community is set to launch next month at Manchester’s Red Bank arches creating new work opportunities for stylists and entrepreneurs.
Black women who have grown up or live in the North will be no stranger to the struggle of finding a skilled hair stylist that can style Afro hair, as options and accessibility is limited.
With only 0.7% of the 45,000 salons in the UK able to cater towards Afro and textured hair, as reported by The New York Times, finding a hair stylist that can braid, lock, cornrow, silk press or twist natural hair is not as simple as just strolling into town.
For Manchester this is soon to change as Black Owned Studios + Marketplace sets to reshape the landscape of the Black beauty and hair industry as the venue will create flexible co-working spaces for Afro-beauty stylists.
Founder and CEO – Efia Mainoo has rightfully taken up the space and identified an opportunity where Black members of the beauty community could thrive without the barriers today’s society presents.
“BlackOwned Studios + Marketplace is more than just a business – it’s a movement. Our mission is to empower, inspire, and celebrate the beauty of Black beauty, by uplifting stylists and fostering connections between all members of the beauty industry,” Efia explains
Each uniquely themed space will provide stylists with a private and creative environment – with an emphasis on functionality and flexibility, these pods will be bookable through a custom app, providing beauty professionals with a central location at affordable daily rates.
That’s not all, the multifaceted Black beauty hub will also have a range of Black-owned beauty products to purchase, including skincare to haircare and accessories.
Efia’s mission to create a “movement” includes a commitment to uplift Black entrepreneurs looking to grow their businesses and make new social connections through a diverse range of events, panels and workshops.
The black owned new beauty venue will be located in the emerging Red Bank area – a neighbourhood of Manchester that is being transformed by property developers Far East Consortium (FEC).
Jake Scott-Thrale, Asset Manager at FEC, said: “Manchester’s bustling and diverse community is at the heart of all we do, so it’s crucial to us that local residents have access to important initiatives like this one, which is working to showcase the city’s best and brightest black-owned businesses.”
An official launch date for BlackOwned Studios + Marketplace is yet to be announced.
To stay up to date with this exciting new business coming to Red Bank Arches follow @blackownedmcr on Instagram and TikTok.
