Black-Owned Beauty Businesses In Elk Grove Shine, Defy Odds

By Christine Shelby | OBSERVER Staff WriterAugust is Black Business Month, a celebration of Black entrepreneurship and the invaluable contributions Black businesses make to the economy. Pew Research Center estimates that while African American or Black-owned businesses account for only 3% of all U.S. businesses, the desire to build wealth through entrepreneurship is a top motivator. Although health care is the dominant industry for Black-owned businesses, two local business owners are charting their own paths in the beauty industry.Charlotte Haynes, Charlene’s Beauty SupplyCharlotte Haynes, owner of Charlenes Beauty Supply and her daughters, Jurnee, Justice, Jazmine, and Jada Haynes. Erin Campbell, OBSERVERCharlotte Haynes is passionate about Black hair, which led her to open Charlene’s Beauty Supply in Elk Grove. Operating for more than a year, Charlene’s has beaten the odds, surviving where 20% of businesses do not. Charlotte has been able to weather a tough industry for Black owners and provide her customers with the products and services they need to feel beautiful.Haynes’ journey to entrepreneurship started because her family moved a lot due to her husband’s job. Charlotte and their four daughters would need to find a new beauty supply store everywhere they lived. Usually, it was just Sally’s Beauty...