All In One Beauty Shack, run by CEO Kaveona Below, is open for business in downtown Bowling Green. The opening of the business was much anticipated because there are no other beauty supply stores in the area.
All In One Beauty Shack is located inside of Kulture Kapital, located on 312 North Main St. The store sells different hair care and beauty products that cater to many hair types, as well as accessories and bonnets. Below is a Bowling Green State University alum and a local to Bowling Green. She is not only a business owner, but a mom of two.
The inspiration behind the business was the need for closer access to hair care. Below wanted to help the community with this problem as this was an issue for her personally.
“I found that it was a need for me, needing products and not being able to find them or having to go out of my way to get it or order it. I found that it was a need in my community,” Below said. “Once I found the problem and what I can do to help, I went for it.”
The store’s goal is to focus on helping everyone in the community, regardless of race or background. Below strives to make every customer feel welcome when shopping for their beauty needs.
“It is for all ethnicities. I have a variety of hair products, shampoos, creams, gels and oils,” Below said. “I wanted to bring something to the community, as it’s not just specifically directed for one culture. If you come into the store, you’re going to find things that you may or may not use, just depending on the person.”
The business coming to town opened up a broader conversation as to why it’s important to have more black-owned businesses in the area. The business can benefit people who struggle with not knowing how to style their natural hair and not knowing what works best for them, as All In One Beauty Shack has a wide variety of products for any hair type.
“It’s important because we are a community, and we’re not different from others. It also puts a different perspective on us, because I feel that we’re looked at in a certain way,” Below said. “It helps our community but it also brings insight and a different perspective to how people see us.”
Curly Connection, an on-campus organization at BGSU that focuses on helping students learn about their natural hair, believes the opening of the store will greatly benefit students of color who want to feel more welcome on campus.
“I think it is very important to have here because of us being at a PWI (primarily white institution). I feel like our culture has been growing over the years. When I first came, we didn’t really have those resources,” Daleyna Tucker, treasurer of Curly Connection, said. “Having an actual store here is a sense of home while being at school.”
“The new beauty supply store helps incoming students of color who are just arriving on campus. It helps them know that they have a space here for them. Before the beauty supply store, we didn’t really have that space. The closest beauty supply store was in Toledo.” Lukas Rodriguez, public relations chair for Curly Connection, said.
The new business can bring more traction to BGSU and attract students of color who are thinking of moving to campus and are unsure of how they’ll adjust to living here.
“I think especially with people that want to come here or thinking about it, the hair store is a really good thing to have right there. If not, it may make a person not want to come because they might think there’s nothing for me here. I think having a hair store is a really good thing.” Nikyah Smith, Curly Connection’s community service chair stated.
Below wants her business to not only focus on students from BGSU but the town of Bowling Green in general, which is growing at a consistent rate due to the opening of new businesses.
“When I started back in 2022, it was specifically focused on the university. Then I’m like, why am I focusing on one group of people when my goal is to make everyone feel welcome? So, I also wanted to bring in and correlate the community,” Below said. “Bowling Green itself is growing. We have jobs coming and we have way more opportunities developing. That’s obviously going to call for an increase of people, and that’s going to be of all ethnicities.”
All in One Beauty Shack is just the beginning for the young business owner, as it opens the door for many more opportunities to help her business expand. Below encourages young entrepreneurs to keep chasing their goals.
“My plan is definitely to grow. I plan on expanding to other cities and seeing what’s in store for me and my business. I’m blessed to be where I’m at,” Below said. “Never give up. You’re going to go through trials and tribulations. Before the rainbow, there’s always a storm. Just keep positive and keep pushing. God’s got you.”
Visit All in One Beauty Shack’s website to shop and learn more about the business.
