Logo

In the month of January, Nia Pettitt officially opened the doors to the Curl Bar, an establishment that caters to curly hair, located in London. Nia's idea for the salon did not only revolve around making clients feel attractive, but providing the opportunity for all clients to feel embraced and celebrated.

Bringing a brick-and-mortar business to life

The idea of opening a salon for curly hair was always a dream of Nia's. "I frequently traveled to America to have my hair done, as it was always a challenge to find a salon even in London and even in the UK," she says. "I wanted to create something that was safe as well as relaxing, which also represented visually what I dreamed of as a child." The customers responded positively to that vision: When they opened the doors at The Curl Bar, appointments quickly filled up.

"Your life is changed once you make the decision to start a business. Ask yourself if you are prepared for the change." Nia advises aspiring business owners. Nobody could've predicted just the magnitude of changes that would be coming for Nia and the Curl Bar. Just three months following its launch, the restaurant had to shut down temporarily because of COVID-19 closures in the UK. Even a definite stop in operations didn't slow Nia down.

"I had no formula to expand the business and certainly not in the event of a pandemic," she says. "I just take each moment as a lesson to be learned from." As The Curl Bar was closed, Nia shifted her focus onlineand connected with her stylists and her followers online until the salon was able to fully reopen.