A Black Owned Hair Salon on Ventura Blvd Survives Covid-19
A beauty salon operated by a Black woman, Amber Hopson, on Ventura in Tarzana, CA. is withstanding the challenges of the COVID pandemic. There are so many businesses including hair salons, that are closed permanently due to the mandated shut-down that was implemented in 2020 but, Hair Escapades and her devoted team continues to be a staple in their community.
Amber stated, “It was very rough in the beginning when we had to shut down, but I was able to get approved for business grants and PPP loans to take care of my staff and business expenses. Because my staff and I are on a payroll system, we were also able to take advantage of unemployment benefits. Luckily, when we did re-open, my staff came back to work, and we were in a position to hire new hairstylists.”
Amber continues, “When Hair Escapades re-opened, we had to raise prices due to inflation. We lost some clients, but most of our clientele were excited to be able to make an appointment, sit back in our chairs and go FROM DRAB TO FAB. Also, we were able to gain new clients as well because of our exceptional reviews on Google and Yelp.com
Hair Escapades beauty salon was established in 2011…starting from a salon suite in Sherman Oaks to a brick and mortar in Tarzana. Amber Hopson, owner of Hair Escapades provides job opportunities for single mothers, like herself who struggle to take care of their families by themselves.
Her staff get to learn marketing, budgeting and how to carry themselves with difficult customers. They are also trained on how to maintain and style all textures of hair.
