BEAUMONT, Texas — Years of a woman’s hard work and dedication led to the grand opening of a new Black-owned business in Beaumont.
California native Tasha Brown was overcome with emotion at the grand opening of Diamonds and Pearls Family Hair Salon, LLC. The shop opened in Beaumont’s west end.
"It took me a little while to get here to this point, but I'm here now, and I'm just ecstatic,” Brown said. “I'm here. I'm here to stay and to grow.”
Brown has been a hairstylist for more than 20 years. Being that she is a single mother, Brown said she initially was not able to open her own salon after getting her license.
The salon owner used to work for a finance company while simultaneously working as a part-time hair stylist. When her children graduated high school, Brown decided to start doing hair full-time.
“I began working with Regis,” Brown said. “I worked for SmartStyle for 10 years. The first six years, I was just a master stylist. The last four, I was a manager in Lake Charles, Louisiana."
Brown moved to Beaumont when the global pandemic hit. For two years, Brown worked at Deluxe Cheveux and styled some of her clients' hair at her house.
When some of her friends told her about a space that had recently opened up, Brown jumped at the opportunity.
“I’m in a great area,” Brown said. “I have great friends and family who are standing behind me, and I have wonderful clients, and I’m hoping to gain more now that I'm in the Beaumont area."
Those years of hard work and dedication paid off on Sunday when Brown saw her dreams become a reality at the grand opening of her new salon.
“It wasn't easy,” Brown said. “There were times I just wanted to give up and say, ‘Forget it. I don't want to do it. I'll just continue as a master stylist.' But this has been a dream of mine and here it is. So, I'm happy. I'm very happy.”
Brown said she is grateful for her family and friends for supporting her through the pandemic. She is also grateful for her loyal customers, who made her feel welcome in Beaumont.
“When you have great family, friends and clients who stand behind you 100 percent, and they push you, I mean, you can't do anything but succeed,” Brown said. “So, here I am.”
Kellaye Brown, who is a previous client and current employee of Tasha Brown, believes this could not have happened to a better person.
“She's been working on this for a very long time,” Kellaye Brown said. “It took a lot of sleepless nights, and tears, and hard work, and it came true."
The salon owner hopes that her new business will become a family affair. Tasha Brown said she is looking forward to the future.