JONESBORO — A mother-daughter partnership on the north side of Jonesboro launched Ebony X Beauty Supply in 2023, becoming part of Arkansas' landscape of approximately 25,000 Black-owned businesses that year, according to data from the Small Business Administration.
Co-owners Terrell Patterson, a stylist with more than 30 years of experience, and her daughter Jasmine Hill, created the store to provide hair products tailored to all hair types. They emphasize that their collaboration is at the heart of the business.
"It’s really important for me to work here with my daughter. She is like the foundation of Ebony X," Patterson said. "I’ve been a hairstylist for more than 30 years, and so my comfort is behind the chair, but I do love people, so this gives me the opportunity to show my love for the people."
Hill, who manages the store's day-to-day operations, said her mother’s guidance is indispensable. "Really honestly, I couldn’t do it without my mom. My mom is like our biggest support system within the store," she said.
Beyond its products, Ebony X creates an environment that embodies the owners’ values. Janarie Prince, a college student and employee of the store, said the staff is like family. "A lot of people ask me if I’m a part of the family — no, but they make it feel like family, and I just love being a part of the small majority," Prince said.
For Patterson, the store's success is about more than financial achievement. "It’s really big that we found our way and we’re established. It’s a big thing that we’ve succeeded and that we came from the end of the town that people felt like most people won’t advance, and we will never forget where we came from," she said.
With the mother-daughter team firmly at the helm, Ebony X Beauty Supply continues to offer products and foster a sense of local pride in the Jonesboro community.