New Arlington Business Specializes In Black Hair Care

ARLINGTON, MA — A new business selling hair care products geared toward black hair recently opened in Arlington. RepHAIRations held its grand opening June 19 to coincide with the Juneteenth observance of the emancipation of slaves in the United States.

Co-owners Heidi Bailey, Sipho Mangcu and Yvonne Adams told YourArlington they want the business to be a gathering place for "conversation and community." In addition to offering products like extensions, wigs, weaves and moisturizing products, it also sells books by black writers and products from black-owned businesses.

On the RepHAIRations website, Baley wrote that she was inspired to start the business after a negative experience shopping for hair extensions with her daughter. Instead of being a milestone in her daughter's life, the trip left them feeling "violated."

"In situations like this I would usually take my business elsewhere, but the truth was that I couldn't," Bailey wrote. "I had done the research. This store had received the most personal recommendations. It had the best online reviews, and we needed the product. I felt like I was suffocating because I knew the truth: that although this was not the only store, it was the only model. It was a truth I had a very hard time accepting."

RepHAIRations is located at 1339 Massachusetts Ave. Its hours are Wednesday from 12-4 p.m., Thursday from 4-9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m.-4 p.m., or by appointment.