It's funny you mention this Sassy. I live uptown - right in the heart of Harlem - and I am FLOORED by the disparity.
There at LEAST 4 or 5 clearly black owned salons in a 2 block radius of my home. Likewise, there are a significant number of Dominican salons. Perhaps even a few more. Basically I can't turn a corner without running into a salon of some kind - either Black owned or Domincan owned (who incidentally are also black - but we won't go there, cuz that ain't what we're talking about, now is it?
) .
So imagine my suprise and shock and disbelief that - after passing all of these salons day to day, week to week, going about my business - I have NEVER ONCE seen a person getting their hair done in ANY of the black salons. Now to be fair, I am IN the Dominican salon on the weekend
and so they may have a customer or two on Saturday (but not Sunday - cuz you know black folks don't work on God's day.
) but other than that - NADA.
Now the Dom. salon - PACKED. Ever. On a Monday or Tuesday MIDDAY there are at least 4 or 5 people. I went to get a perm in the snow on Sunday and there were 10 or so other customers in the salon. Why? Because they get their hair did on Sunday. Snow be damned!
And here's the kicker..ready...THEY ARE HAPPY WITH THE SERVICE.
So feeling badly (as I do - the weight of the world is forever on my shoulders
- but I digress) at the plight of my black sisters trying hard to maintain a black owned business in Harlem - the arguable historical "home" of black folks in NY - I wandered into a black owned salon (or two) to see what their prices were like, what kind of services they provided....etc.
Imagine - yet again - my shock and horror and disbelief - when BOTH salons quoted me $75 for a simple touch up. No I could not bring my perm, and they specialize in WEAVES, which cost $400 and up. "Are you aware" says I (kindly - sweetly) "that there are salons in the area that charge $50, $40, sometimes even $25 dollars for a relaxer just around the corner? Around each corner?"
Her response - "You mean them Spanish girls? They burn your hair out. That's why they dont charge no money! Keep going to them if you want to! You'll see!"
Meanwhile - outside the window, scores of women with long flowing hair (girls in Harlem have some HAIR y'all) pass by.
Day after day I continue to pass by these empty salons. Day after day I see those long flowing heads of hair ducking into and out of one of 8-10 of the Dominican salons in my immediate area...
So my question is, I guess - Are they quaking really? Because they need to be quaking....
They SO need to be quaking.