Why do folks hate Asian BSS owners?

[Jhunt-smith]

I don't hate them. I've lived in Korea and speak some Korean, but I still feel like I'm being watched there. I mean, it's a bind because perhaps they do have a bunch of thefts and if your store were being constantly shoplifted you might be on the look-out, too. But even if that's true, I don't want to be watched. I did try to be nice, even greeted them in Korean and they were nice back. But I guess the memory is short or it didn't matter because when I went back I was being watched again. Besides, I'd rather spend my money supporting businesses that specifically cater to me like Oyin and Qhemet. Better quality products and I get to support my own ethnic group at least in this, which is what others do all the time.

as much as i HATE being watched in stores, i cannot blame anyone. i used to work at aeropostale && about 85% of the black customers we had, stole something. we saw it plain as day, but u cant say anything due to the new rules.....
sterotyping is wrong, but much of the reasoning behind it is logical. does that jusify it?/ not necessarily. what can we do?? step above it && prove them wrong

 

[luxe.li.]

PS how can you get mad at ASIANS or KOREANS that are DISRESPECTFUL to BLACK PEOPLE, you can't BLAME awhole CULTURE or RACE, because people are people. You are going to have some Koreans that hate black people, some that love black people, just like you're gonna have some Black people who hate Koreans, and vice versa. That is not a topic on race, that is a topic on PEOPLE looolll. Like when people try to categorize Black people as DANGEROUS lmfao no Race's don't kill, people kill. Race's aren't dangerous, people are dangerous.

So basically I feel as though if anyone can say Ooh I do not like Koreans who own BSS because they are disrespectful to Black people, well have you been to EVERY Korean owned BSS to make that assumption?? no, not EVERY Korean is like that, I go to art school and most of the girls in my class are Korean, some of the girls are nice to me, talk to me, love me, some of them look at me like I'm crazy, that's not the Korean race, that's just PEOPLE BEING PEOPLE LLOOLL...

lmfao okay that's all I have to say. forreal this time.

 

[Neith]

It is my understanding that people dislike them because they have created a MONOPOLY in OUR neighborhoods.

It's not only their fault imo, but yes, those business owners know what they are doing. People are universally greedy, but you can't blame people for disliking what they do.

Not saying on the individual level they are all bad people, are all rude and what have you... you can't judge a huge amount of people on such things. That's be like someone saying that all of lhcf are stupid women who put vagina cream on their scalp. - Just a joke, y'all, I'm just trying to make a point.

 

[ShaniKeys]

I don't *hate* Asian BSS owners at all, I just think it's really funny to walk into a BSS and see a bunch of products (weaves, wigs,...etc) for black people and then you look at who's selling them and it's like erplexed (that's what happened yesterday when I was @ the African neighbourhood in Brussels). To be honest, Asian or black, I just want someone who KNOWS & UNDERSTANDS what they're selling (and being black doesn't mean you understand what kinda product is good for what type of black hair). The best advice I ever got about my hair was @ the Aveda store from a white woman. Anyhoo, I'm now giving my money to black BSS by mostly shopping online for my hair products, I don't feel bad about that

 

[~Hair~Fetish~]

I dont really blame the Asians/Koreans for owning BSS's in the black community.

We dropped the ball on that one. Plain and simple. We dropped it, they picked it up and ran with it.

They saw a need that wasnt being fulfilled, and they supplied the need.

The issue that I have with some of them is the blatant disrespect and contempt they show toward black people, who are the very ones lining their pockets.

That also stands true for any other merchant who takes your money and then spits in your face.

I'm with you on that one. I hate the way they are so obvious about "watching" you while you shop. It really makes me uncomfortable.

 

[vkb247]

luxe have you had a look at the youtube documentary?

I feel what you are saying but at the same time it does get a little bit more complex. I think it is a shame when black people accuse other black people of not getting their "hustle on" when this is certainly true sometimes...but we also have to acknowledge the systems in place in the US that put certain groups of people at a disadvantage. There are statistical facts that support this, it has nothin to do with "hating" on Koreans.

 

[civic4800]

I dont really blame the Asians/Koreans for owning BSS's in the black community.

We dropped the ball on that one. Plain and simple. We dropped it, they picked it up and ran with it.

They saw a need that wasnt being fulfilled, and they supplied the need.

The issue that I have with some of them is the blatant disrespect and contempt they show toward black people, who are the very ones lining their pockets.

That also stands true for any other merchant who takes your money and then spits in your face.

I agree with all this, esp. the bolded. This is my issue right here. There are 3 Asian BSS in my 'hood and out of those, 1 I refuse to f**k with because I can just feel the contempt when I am in that store. My mom has visited this store separate from me and called me one evening to complain about her experience. I almost feel that the Asian lady at this specific store is just seething because she has to do business with "us" and she just wishes she were anywhere else but there. Other than her store, I haven't had any problems with any of the other stores. They seem happy for your business and product-wise, they seem to cater to/do the best they can for their clientele(sp).

 

[Carrie A]

There are a few AA salons where I live that have opened moderately sized beauty supply stores adjacent to the salons. I think that's a great idea to diversify the source of goods. There are also Ethiopians squeezing into the market.


Like everyone else has said it comes down to culture clash. Imagine is you were say Chinese and lived near Chinatown USA. You could only find the specialty Chinese vegetables/sea food that you needed at the Chinese grocery. What if every Chinese gracery store in Chinatown was owned by an African American male and the employees were AA. The AA owners don't live in or near China town and don't know all that much about the Chinese culture. The owner's exposure is limited to what they see going down in the neighborhood and in a few martial arts movies, stereotypical images and cultural beliefs. The Chinese customer has a painful history of discrimination in the US and is suspicious of you the store owner- your motives and judgement.
It's a recipe for tension.

 

[TrustMeLove]

luxe have you had a look at the youtube documentary?

I feel what you are saying but at the same time it does get a little bit more complex. I think it is a shame when black people accuse other black people of not getting their "hustle on" when this is certainly true sometimes...but we also have to acknowledge the systems in place in the US that put certain groups of people at a disadvantage. There are statistical facts that support this, it has nothin to do with "hating" on Koreans.

Thank you.

I live in LA and EVERY SINGLE 7/11 I've been to from the Hills of WESTWOOD (like Brentwood Bel AIR area) to Slauson and West (light weight the hood predominantly black folks) are run by (probably owned too) by folks from the Middle East.

That's every sngle 7/11 IVE BEEN TO. Am I hating on the middle eastern folks. NO. They found a business that works and yes the ones I've gone to seem to be only run by them...but it is in every neighborhood. It's across the board...I don't see anything wrong with this at all because it isn't divided by culture lines or economic lines they own the stores in rich place and poor places.

Nothing wrong with a culture dominating a market, but when it seems like they disproportionality dominate a market mainly frequented by another culture.. UMMM..that just doesn't seem right. SOmething is going on behind the scenes. And from the knowledge many of the ladies have dropped in this thread it has been researched and proven to be the case.

 

[Covergirl5906]

Because SOME of them are rude and disrespectful.... and SOME straight up do not like black folks...they only like that money that we put in their pockets ...they continue this disrespectful behavior because they know they got the beauty supply thing locked down...there are a few stores that I refuse to shop in in my area because of their nasty and disrespectful ways....

 

[Demi27]

I think that we are part of the blame.

If we would patron only our black owned stores, then the Asians would be forced to stop all that foolishness that they do.

Our BSS's have to charge more b/c they have to pay more, but this is by design.

On that documentary they followed a black girl who was going to an Asian BSS instead of black owned store. She would rather go to the Asians she said, b/c they were cheaper.

We dont realize the power we have if we would only unite but that is something black people have a problem with.

I was JUST getting to talk about that. I saw that documentary a few years ago and that was the MAIN thing that stood out in my mind. I'm not saying that people should go broke, but it was more imporant for her to get things cheaply instead of supporting a black business. Even from a young age I was taught we should support our own when we're able to and when reasonable.

Now, just because a black person owns a black BSS does not necessarily mean they should be supported either. There was a black BSS where I used to live and I didn't always get the best customer service there. I ended up going to a Korean BSS and bought fromn them for years because the owners were so nice. I used to hug the owner when I would see her and everything because she was just that nice and knowledgeable. Too bad she retired.

 

[blue_flower]

I don't "hate" Asian beauty supply owners. I'm glad that there are 3 (Asian) BSS in walking distance from where I live at. If anything, Black folks should be upset with themselves for not making it happen. Want a Black owned BSS? Then just do it!

 

[Sho_iz_pretty]

I did see another doc saying that the asian store owners were basically counterfeiting black made products and selling their version saying it was better,when it's the exact same product cutting out the blacks who manufacture and only dealing with asians, when black women spend the MOST on our hair out of every demographic.

 

[LadyPaniolo]

Re: what a previous poster said, I did not mean this thread to be about people "hating on" Koreans as much as people "hating" Koreans. See the diff?

I've read many posts and comments on LHCF over the past several years where people cheered about the prospect of putting "those Koreans" out of business and basically showed a lot of contempt for Korean BSS owners.

I appreciate all the comments in this thread, everyone has been thoughtful and kept it on topic and respectful, I really appreciate that. Cuz it could have been a "popcorn" thread easily.

 

[SparklingFlame]

I know one professional woman who said that desegregation was one of the worst things to happen to the black community. The way she talked about it made me go HUH...she might have an excellent point.

Thank you for this extra info.

She spoke the gospel truth!

 

[Diam0ndiva]

they dont know shhhyt about our hair, always recommending a style or color would look good on me while as well as i know and whoever im with and sometimes other ladies in the store know she or he is wrong.. it get on my nerves .. asian own then hispanic employees.. come on now majority of the time the dont even know what product your talkin about or a good subsitute they've tried(experience with having kinky hair) that can also help you. its just like asians owning a louisanna chicken.. dont make NO SENSE!!

 

[BostonMaria]

I don't "hate" going to Asian owned BSS stores. If somebody mistreats I'm not going into their store, I don't care what color they are. I usually buy online or at places like Ulta & Sally's because I know I can at least count on some type of money back guarantee if anything goes wrong. I also go to the Dominican BSS' because I know exactly what I'm looking for. I think the Asian BSS stores can't answer my questions on products because they don't have my hair type and also because their focus is to sell, not have good customer service. I'm all about the service whether its CVS or Sephora's. Oh and I also forgot to mention that there really isn't anything at the BSS that I can't get at the pharmacy or Wholefoods. Asian BSS' seem to have weaves and petroleum laced products, none of which I'm interested in.

 

[HappyHairDreams]

Speaking specifically about the ones in my area of Brooklyn, I like them. I haven't had any bad experiences. They have the good products and the bad ones, everything from Aveda to bottles of mineral oil. They're very nice and they even give me free stuff sometimes.
Speaking generally about the monopoly they have on BSS and not hiring outside their race. I don't blame them at all. Not one bit. As other people say, they saw a business opportunity and they're making money. Furthermore, THEY ARE HELPING THEIR OWN. I can't blame them for helping their brother, sister, mother, whoever make a dollar and keeping it in the family.
Instead of being angry at these folks, Black people need to take a page from their book, learn how to run successful small businesses and employ their own.



ps. on a smaller less important note, if you want to talk about rude store attendants, it's been my personal experience that Black people, can make some of the rudest people in customer service, they act like they're doing you a favor by having the store open and answering a question so it's not just Asians.

 

[Diam0ndiva]

just so everyone knows i dont hate asians i just dont like the idea of them always being the owners or managers of black hair care because they dont look like me.. then dont have my hair.. they dont even style their hair mike us.. thats my stand.. but no i dont hate asians.. just not thrilled about them telling me what they think about something they have no clue about

 

[changedlife]

I don't care much, ignorance is the problem. They will not see me or my money anymore anyway And they haven't seen me in a long time OK may be for the 911 leave-in because my hair is loving it now

 

[Lei*Lei]

I don't get all the hate either. Like every one else...they see where the money is. We don't have any asian owned bss here (only a chinese store that sells chinese type stuff and knock off purses lol) but i have been to bss owned by them in other countries...i didn't have any problems with them at all, in fact they were very, very nice and extremely helpful. I also go into some black owned bss and get the same treatment. However there was one bss that was was really terrible...they were 2 nigerian women and one was behind the counter yelling one the phone and another sitting on the floor on a blanket eating KFC and watching a movie!!

As for the asians not hiring non-asians, the ones i know usually only hire family, since it is pretty much a family owned store.

So i don't get it at all. If you don't like asian bss....just go to a black owned one. Simple.

 

[trj1922]

I'm glad someone started this topic because with the truckloads of money Black women spend on their hair it is important to think about where our dollars go. Personally, I avoid Asian-owned BSS. The customer service is usually fine on the very rare occasions when I go because I weeded out the ones with poor customer service a long time ago. Unfortunately, a lot of Asian owners and employees have clear contempt for their customers though as others have said there is an element of their clientele who bring it on themselves with rude, ignorant behavior.

I avoid Asian BSS, first, because they do not have what I want (I don't need jars of colored Vaseline and that's what most of that crap amounts to!) Secondly, because the industry as a whole (not necessarily every last individual) does practice unfair and discriminatory practices designed to keep Blacks who want to be BSS owners out of business. I used to think Black BSS owners, the one or two I ever found, had high prices because they were trying to take advantage of other Blacks. Now I know that it is because they're paying retail or near retail prices for their products because Korean distributors either won't sell to them or mark up the products when they do. I don't begrudge anyone the opportunity to make a success in this country, but to make it on the backs of other honest people because you don't like their color or they are not "one of your own" doesn't fly with me.

As for the person who mentioned that integration is the worst thing to ever happen to Blacks, I agree on some level. We have dropped the Black BSS ball as well as a lot of others. Prior to integration the Black community was lacking in freedom, true, but it was forced to be self-sufficient to a large degree. Our communities were worlds within a world, with all of the structures and institutions of the dominant society though their quality was suppressed by the effects of discrimination.

We took the wrong message from integration. Rather than helping to see ourselves as equals to everyone else, it inadvertently reinforced our sense of inferiority. One example... Brown vs. Board struck down segregated schools on the basis that separate is inherently unequal. Why? I never understood that point. If a Black school really had all of the appointments and money as a white school, how was it inferior? The only difference was the color of the student so it seems to me that the inferiority was being attributed to that fact. Subconsciously, I think it left the message that we couldn't do for ourselves without whites around and that their presence and willingness to deal with us conferred equality upon us. Too bad that in most cities, whites just fled to the 'burbs or put their kids in private schools. Now that the schools are all Black again, are we back to being inferior?

The sad fact is we let our own institutions crumble in favor of the pipe dream of integration when a wiser strategy would have been to interact selectively with the larger society while maintaining that which is uniquely ours, in other words building communities that you wouldn't have to mandate others to want to interact with. When cultures do this (as most Asians and many Latinos have) the stigma of inferiority fades naturally over time and a level of integration comes about naturally, stably and without force.

I'm ranting again... so I'm gonna stop!

 

[VinDieselsWifey]

well i've never personally had a bad experience when i've gone into any asian BSS. but i have heard the stories of bad experiences. i have lived in Japan and Korea and i think some of it is a cultural thing. the Japanese have THE BEST customer service, hands down. they are generally very nice, polite, and go out of their way to make sure you are happy. the Koreans are for the most part nice too, but they will cuss you out or tell you to get the hell out of their store if they get angry. i know the BSS owners in the states are Korean. even here in Korea when i go shopping they follow me around in the store. but it's not because they think i will steal something, it's because they want me to buy something!

they like to show you everything and want you to try this on, feel how soft this mink blanket is, show how good this quality is, etc. i did have one Korean guy get mad at me when i was trying to price haggle with him about a shirt. i didn't want to pay the price he wanted and he wouldn't give me a good discount. so i didn't buy the shirt and he got mad.

 

[VinDieselsWifey]

double post...

 

[luxe.li.]

luxe have you had a look at the youtube documentary?

I feel what you are saying but at the same time it does get a little bit more complex. I think it is a shame when black people accuse other black people of not getting their "hustle on" when this is certainly true sometimes...but we also have to acknowledge the systems in place in the US that put certain groups of people at a disadvantage. There are statistical facts that support this, it has nothin to do with "hating" on Koreans.

No I haven't seen the doc, but I'm not saying everyone who doesnt like Asian BSS are hating, I'm making a direct comment about those who say they don't like how "THEY" have a disrespect for black people and this is why they don't like them blah blah blah, and etc. That was my reply, how can you not like a group of people based on your encounters with SOME people of that race or group or culture, I guess I should of used a quote with a reply.

 

[luxe.li.]

Re: what a previous poster said, I did not mean this thread to be about people "hating on" Koreans as much as people "hating" Koreans. See the diff?

I've read many posts and comments on LHCF over the past several years where people cheered about the prospect of putting "those Koreans" out of business and basically showed a lot of contempt for Korean BSS owners.

I appreciate all the comments in this thread, everyone has been thoughtful and kept it on topic and respectful, I really appreciate that. Cuz it could have been a "popcorn" thread easily.

This was the notion I was speaking on, Hating Koreans, and Not Hating on Koreans. My personal view is Not to hate a group of people based on personal feeling for a few people of that race that you've come encounter with.

Honestly, I am not going to be mad about Asian BSS, because I have plans of having my own business in the future. In the realm where I don't see alot of Black people or African Americans being successful at, I plan to change that. I feel like if people have a dislike for what they see, they should change it. Personally lol, that's what I'm spending 44,000 a year on in school to do, and I hope I make it cause that's alot of money!! x 5.

 

[kelkel]

where I live I don't think there is one black owned BSS..... I have experienced it all from the very nice helpful store owner to the rude stalker.....

my problem is this.... everytime I spend my money I am uplifting their community, giving their children a chance at education, and giving their family financial security.....

I wouldn't have a problem with the above if it was all on a fair playing field, but its not. So I am upset, and I can be mad about that..... I think that is the problem with African American's as a whole.... we never get upset enough about anything to do something.

I don't hate anybody and wish all ppl success and happiness..... but its always seems when it comes to the mistreatment of our own ppl we shrug it off or its always our fault...... I wonder if the shoe was on the other foot would Koreans or any asian bss owner allow us to do the same thing to them?

 

[delray712000]

you know what? I don't hate them either, however, have seen some nasty attitudes coming from these store owners. I know of a black bss here in coastal georgia and the owners complain about the prices they have to pay which drives their prices up higher. I believe her and I think that it would be a good idea for African Americans to open up more stores. I do not wish to drive asians out of business but I do wish to see more black owned businesses. Do you know that they as well as other nationalities come to this country and sell to us and live well. They make statements like (you been here all your life and you don't have nothing, me I have been here three years and I have a business, home, and car. I have witnessed this several times. They are not looking down their noses at us but they are wondering why it is this way. I apologize if I have offended anyone.

 

[princessnad]

I'm kinda paraphrasing my thoughts and there are reasons for my statement below. But my reason is: They are coniving business people. I wont support that.

 

[delray712000]

you are so right. that is how i feel because while it is great to be able to have the same rights and to go to schools and diners with w.people, we lost our way. we need more black private schools, bss, grocery stores, and country clubs. self preservation was not based on blacks marrying blacks and blah blah but being able to keep jobs in the black community and not worry about (oh they are treating badly because i am black0. we all should start making stuff and sell only to bss. someone needs to learn how to make weave, another hair products, and etc.

I'm glad someone started this topic because with the truckloads of money Black women spend on their hair it is important to think about where our dollars go. Personally, I avoid Asian-owned BSS. The customer service is usually fine on the very rare occasions when I go because I weeded out the ones with poor customer service a long time ago. Unfortunately, a lot of Asian owners and employees have clear contempt for their customers though as others have said there is an element of their clientele who bring it on themselves with rude, ignorant behavior.

I avoid Asian BSS, first, because they do not have what I want (I don't need jars of colored Vaseline and that's what most of that crap amounts to!) Secondly, because the industry as a whole (not necessarily every last individual) does practice unfair and discriminatory practices designed to keep Blacks who want to be BSS owners out of business. I used to think Black BSS owners, the one or two I ever found, had high prices because they were trying to take advantage of other Blacks. Now I know that it is because they're paying retail or near retail prices for their products because Korean distributors either won't sell to them or mark up the products when they do. I don't begrudge anyone the opportunity to make a success in this country, but to make it on the backs of other honest people because you don't like their color or they are not "one of your own" doesn't fly with me.

As for the person who mentioned that integration is the worst thing to ever happen to Blacks, I agree on some level. We have dropped the Black BSS ball as well as a lot of others. Prior to integration the Black community was lacking in freedom, true, but it was forced to be self-sufficient to a large degree. Our communities were worlds within a world, with all of the structures and institutions of the dominant society though their quality was suppressed by the effects of discrimination.

We took the wrong message from integration. Rather than helping to see ourselves as equals to everyone else, it inadvertently reinforced our sense of inferiority. One example... Brown vs. Board struck down segregated schools on the basis that separate is inherently unequal. Why? I never understood that point. If a Black school really had all of the appointments and money as a white school, how was it inferior? The only difference was the color of the student so it seems to me that the inferiority was being attributed to that fact. Subconsciously, I think it left the message that we couldn't do for ourselves without whites around and that their presence and willingness to deal with us conferred equality upon us. Too bad that in most cities, whites just fled to the 'burbs or put their kids in private schools. Now that the schools are all Black again, are we back to being inferior?

The sad fact is we let our own institutions crumble in favor of the pipe dream of integration when a wiser strategy would have been to interact selectively with the larger society while maintaining that which is uniquely ours, in other words building communities that you wouldn't have to mandate others to want to interact with. When cultures do this (as most Asians and many Latinos have) the stigma of inferiority fades naturally over time and a level of integration comes about naturally, stably and without force.

I'm ranting again... so I'm gonna stop!