Royal Hair & Beauty

Client: Deborah Bakare

Business: Royal Hair & Beauty

Description: Afro-Caribbean Hair Products, Jewellery & Handbags

Telephone:

Website:

Supported by The Kent Foundation, the county's largest youth charity, Deborah launched her business venture Royal Hair & Beauty in February 2007.

Situated in Strood High Street, Royal Hair sold a very wide range of hairpieces, extensions, full wigs, together with hair and skin products. Although initially focussed on the afro-caribbean market Deborah quickly built up a very broad customer base.

She increased her product range to include a small range of jewellery and designer hand bags. After trading for a while, Deborah increased her activity by converting the rear of the shop to include a hair braiding area which was very popular and successful. The business traded well and the range and depth of products sold continued to grow and the business provided employment to other people to help with the sales effort. In March 2008 Deborah gave birth to her son - she has 3 children aged less than 6 years old.

The strength of the Royal Hair has allowed Deborah to expand and she closed the existing shop and relocated the business to larger premises at 17 High Street Strood where it trades under the name Immanuel. The new premises benefit from a better location and are much larger.

The new business opened in June 2009, and the front part of the shop continues to stock and sell the Royal hair products whilst the rear part stocks afro-caribbean dried and tinned food. In due course, freezers will be installed to enable Immanuel to stock specialist frozen fish and meat products.

The first floor has been modified to create a hair salon that will be able to accommodate 4 hairdressers. In addition, Deborah will be launching an international, person to person, money transfer service focussed initially on the Nigerian Diaspora.