Zara Jo Beauty Supply: A Central District Newcomer Leads With Representation
“Our goal is to curate a diverse collection of exceptional beauty products from Black-owned and founded brands, ensuring that our community is seen, heard, and respected.” - Jamal Wilson, owner and founder of Zara Jo Beauty Supply (Photo courtesy of Wilson)
By Mead Gill #SupportBlackBusiness
Six days a week sits Jamal Wilson, the owner and founder of Zara Jo Beauty Supply, in his storefront on Martin Luther King Jr. Way. Opened on May 10 of this year, the vibrant Central District storefront provides beauty products and services for the Black community that were otherwise hard to come by in typical beauty supply stores.
After recently celebrating Zara Jo’s one-month anniversary, Wilson is thrilled for what the Central District has in store for him and his family. “It's been exhilarating and fun, and we feel like there's a lot of potential,” he said.
Zara Jo’s Family Namesake
In May 2024, Wilson and his partner walked into a beauty supply store in Tacoma to buy hair for their 10-year-old daughter Zara Johanna. A quick check online showed that the products she needed were severely overpriced and had been left in boxes on the floor to be picked through. Additionally, the pair were met with service Wilson described as “unsettling.”
“I couldn't necessarily ask questions to the people who worked in the store because they didn't look like us and they didn't care,” he said. “I had this feeling we can do this better.”
Immediately Wilson took action to open a beauty supply store named after his daughter with better pricing, better service, and better products geared toward the Black community. While his partner brought masterful creativity and design to their space, Wilson took on the business logistics, taking the initiative to fill the hole they experienced firsthand. Wilson emphasized their family-oriented approach to business, excited for his daughter to grow up around real representation that prioritizes people who look like her.
Wilson’s daughter Zara Johanna stands outside the beauty supply store named after her in the Central District. (Photo courtesy of Wilson)
Products For The Black Community, By the Black Community
Zara Jo Beauty Supply primarily provides beauty care products for the Black community, including hair care for curly textured hair, beard care, skincare, makeup, and more. Around 95 percent of the in-store products are from Black-owned and founded brands, including People of Color Nail Polish, Made for Locs hair products, and Black Panther Strong products for edges and braiding.
Wilson referenced a lack of education and support of Black beauty products in big box retail stores like Target and Ulta Beauty, explaining that their services were convenient but ultimately did not feel like stores for Black people.
“How can we provide the same technology benefits like shopping online, pickup in-store, same-day delivery, but make it feel like it's for us?” he said. To answer that question, Wilson developed six core values: excellence, community, education, authenticity, experience, and innovation, which guide his decisions and engagement with the community.
A Love of the Central District
Wilson fell in love with the Central District in his frequent trips to the Seattle area for work and visiting family. When the opportunity arose to kickstart his concept in the iconic Seattle neighborhood, it was a no-brainer for him. “The people, the family, the food— it's where I feel the most at home,” he said. “It was the area that felt like it needed us and we needed it.”
Zara Jo has joined the network of small business in the Central District, many of which have been impacted by the neighborhood’s shifting demographics. As rent prices and the cost of living skyrocketed over the past decade, the populations who can afford to live in the Central District continue to change, adding an extra challenge for small businesses, specifically Black-owned businesses like Zara Jo, that are focused on building strong community bonds.
“We’ve been impacted by the demographic shift, but I also think that there is a community that exists there,” Wilson said. “We want to be a part of growing that community and nurturing that community.”
The Challenges Facing Emerging Businesses
A successful grand opening weekend in May proved to Wilson there was a need for Black beauty products in the Central District. But Wilson pinpointed a lack of awareness and foot traffic as the biggest challenge currently facing Zara Jo. Despite these initial obstacles, Wilson intentionally practices the act of taking imperfect action; even when the end goal is an unfathomable 10 steps away, working one step at a time with motivation and purpose is the best way to execute the end goal.
“We have faith that the community is there and they'll continue to show up for us because we want to show up for them,” he said with confidence in his message and strategy.
Hitting the Road with Pride and Resilience
As Zara Jo settles into its groove, Wilson and his family are striving to develop a sustainable business and eventually hire part-time team members straight from the community. Longer-term, he envisions scaling the business through e-commerce and multiple retail locations, continuing to support and build community in the Pacific Northwest through Black beauty and excellence.
“I genuinely believe that supporting us is supporting yourself in the community,” he said, encouraging anyone to stop by Zara Jo’s to grab a product or simply “hang out and just chop it up.”
1143 Martin Luther King Jr. Way
Seattle, WA 98122
Instagram: @zarajobeauty
Faceback: Zara Jo Beauty Supply
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