It was just another day for Princess Dempsey when she went shopping at her neighborhood beauty supply store. Who would have known, just two hours later, she’d walk out as the store’s new owner.
The Chicago-native and serial entrepreneur didn’t think twice about taking immediate steps to assume ownership of the store after she watched a Korean-American owner disrespect an elderly woman and her granddaughter in his store. Without hesitation, she bought his store and hair inventory, putting the previous owner out of business on the spot. Six months later, after careful planning, she opened Princess Delights Beauty Supply in the Chicago suburb Westchester, IL last month.
Dempsey is part of a growing number of African-Americans taking back ownership of the beauty supply business. Despite African-American women spending more than $54 million in ethnic hair care and beauty products in 2017 alone according to a 2018 Nielsen study, beauty supply stores are part of a multi-billion dollar industry that has historically locked African-Americans completely out for decades.
For the full story, visit Essence.com/Beauty.
