‘Not going anywhere else’: New Elk Grove beauty store strives to become a community staple

Elk Grove resident Arlinda Archible went to restock her hair care needs on a recent Tuesday and purchased a styling gel at a beauty supply store near her home.

This visit, her total was $5.63.

She handed a $10 bill to Yolanda Barber-Billie, owner of Hair Emporium Plus Beauty Supply and Salon, and told her to keep the change.

“For your troubles. Thank you ma’am, I appreciate it,” Archible said as she started to make her way toward the exit.

Barber-Billie politely declined the gratuitous gesture, taking Archible by the hand and placing four $1 bills and 37 cents in change back in her palms. The store owner knew it was simply Archible’s way of treasuring the presence of a Black-owned business in her neighborhood.

“I’ve been waiting for something like this,” Archible said. “I’m just glad it’s here.”

Barber-Billie first opened the doors to Hair Emporium Plus Beauty Supply and Salon (7440 Laguna Blvd., Suite 106) at the beginning of June.

It marked a new Black-owned business in the growing suburban city. It also marked a new chapter in Barber-Billie’s own life, one she could cherish for years to come.

“The first weeks were a little questionable, but the word got out. We’ve been advertising quite a bit,” Barber-Billie said. “Word got out and the community has been coming in ever since. We have new customers, tons of repeat customers. The foot traffic has increased abundantly, so we’re glad about that.”

She obtained a business degree from University of Phoenix and knew she always wanted to work for herself someday.

The hustle and bustle of the corporate world just wasn’t fulfilling for Barber-Billie. So, she decided to use her degree and go all-in on opening her own beauty supply store and salon shop.

It wasn’t easy, Barber-Billie said. There were some hurdles and obstacles that she had to overcome to open her business space.

Now, she’s thriving.

“It worked itself out. We’re here, we’re open,” Barber-Billie said. “The community, they come everyday, all day, and they support.”

Archible first discovered the beauty supply store from her daughter who was out shopping at the Laguna Pavilion shopping center near Laguna Boulevard and Bruceville Road.

The Tuesday trip wasn’t her first visit. She couldn’t recall the exact number of times — it was probably at least her third.

All she knew was that she was excited to see a Black-owned beauty supply store in Elk Grove.

She was in awe to receive a phone call from her daughter delivering news that there was such a business near their house.

“I ran out of conditioner one day and said, ‘Oh, I’m not going anywhere else,’” Archible said.

Setting an example for the next generation

Barber-Billie never anticipated the love and admiration that she received from the community.

She set her goals on establishing her own business because she wanted to set an example for her children and her grandchildren.

“My thought process was to show my children what you can do if you go all in and take all the necessary steps in order to open a store and be successful,” Barber-Billie said. “I wanted to begin to create some generational wealth.”

Barber-Billie handles most of the business operations, but it is a family-owned business that receives assistance from everyone, including her son, daughter and husband.

Her adult daughter, Eunique LeGuie, lends a hand in any way she can. When her name is called upon, she is more than willing to help bring her mother’s dream to fruition.

“Whatever my mom asks me to do, I try to contribute the best way I can,” LeGuie said. “(It’s) family-run, so I just try to take some of the pressure off her. I mean, it is her vision, but I try to give her a break here and there.”

LeGuie will perform tasks such as delivering items to the store or communicating with media to get the word out about Hair Emporium Plus.

When not tending to the needs of her mom’s beauty supply store, LeGuie is either working at a hospital as a licensed clinical social worker or with clients holding evening therapy sessions, all the while being a mother to her 8-year-old daughter.

LeGuie said there’s a secret “S” she wears on her own chest, but that she’s learned what motherhood and providing takes by seeing firsthand what her own mother had to endure.

“She’s pretty amazing,” LeGuie said about her mother. “She’s come a super long way. She was a teenage mom, she had me when she was 16. A lot of stuff for her got put on hold. She had my brother shortly after. She made sure my brother and I were taken great care of growing up and she did it single-handedly.”

LeGuie said her mom was tough on her, however very supportive of their visions and other endeavors. She describes her as having a “heart of gold”.” It’s helped shape LeGuie to be the woman she is today.

“She’s firm, but fair,” LeGuie said.

Bringing Black businesses to Elk Grove

Opening Hair Emporium Plus wasn’t just for Barber-Billie to set an example to her kids of following one’s dreams. She also wanted to bring a Black-owned business to the Elk Grove community.

She didn’t want residents to have to leave their community to get their hair care needs.

“There’s lots of people that look like me in Elk Grove,” said Barber-Billie. “They live here, they work here and some work outside of Elk Grove, but they don’t wanna leave their community to go get their hair supplies and hair products.”

According to a U.S. Census report in 2022, Black or African American residents make up 11% of the population in Elk Grove.

“There is a large African-American community here in Elk Grove, but not many Black businesses,” Barber-Billie said. “We’re getting there. There are a few I know of, but it’s not that many at all. So being that for the community, I’m very proud, I’m very happy. And I’m just glad that we’re being accepted the way we are.”

Becoming a staple and ‘safe place’ in the community

Barber-Billie didn’t want to “just” open up a beauty supply store, she said. She wanted to be able to connect with the community members.

The beauty supply store also includes a salon in the back of the store that houses different stylists such as braiders or locticians. They are always taking appointments or consultations to evaluate hair and provide advice.

Barber-Billie said the idea to include a salon at the shop came from wanting people to come in and “be transformed.”

“You get to meet a lot of people. You get to hear a lot of stories. You really get to connect with people,” Barber-Billie said. “The beauty salon is a place to go just like the barbershop.”

She’s learning about people, making friends and sharing deep connections with individuals who walk through the doors, sift through the aisles or have a seat at the salon chairs.

“A lot of times when we sit in the chair and we talk, it’s coming from the heart and a lot of times people, when they do that, (it’s) because there’s something that they need to say or something that they need to express and the beauty salon is always a safe place for them.”

This story was originally published September 28, 2023 at 5:00 AM.