In honor of Black History Month, The Michigan Daily’s Business beat spent the month speaking with Black business owners in the Ann Arbor community about their experiences and stories. Read the other articles here.

Tucked between Sweetgreen and Pitaya on State Street sits Della’s, a beauty supply store with the goal of cultivating a safe and welcoming space for the Ann Arbor community, according to owner Sheena McCullers.

McCullers told The Michigan Daily that she moved to Ann Arbor from Brooklyn, N.Y. during the COVID-19 pandemic. Soon after arriving in Ann Arbor, McCullers said she struggled to find textured hair products, which motivated her to open Della’s and fill the product gap herself. According to McCullers, the store’s mission is to curate an exciting selection of beauty products for people with textured hair that they may not be able to find elsewhere.

“The closest store that sells these types of products is in Ypsilanti,” McCullers said. “I visited the store and didn’t find myself having the experience I wanted to have. I wanted to find a store that had a community vibe. I’ve lived in Atlanta, I’ve lived in Brooklyn, and stores like this are pretty common — spaces that are diverse and have a diverse product range.”

McCullers said when she opened Della’s in March, she was unsure if people would take advantage of what it has to offer, but has since received overwhelmingly positive feedback from customers.

“I was like, ‘Oh, I wonder if people would be into something like that here,’ ” McCullers said. “So my husband said, ‘Why don’t you just try to create it and see. Let’s start small and test it out for a couple years and if it works, well, we’ll do something bigger.’ So we’re in the beginning phase of the first year and really testing this thing out, and we’ve had some really great responses from people in the community. All signs pointing to keep going basically.”

McCullers said she purposefully designed Della’s to mimic a living room space, hoping it would make customers more comfortable in the store.

“When people walk into the store, I want them to feel like they’re walking into an auntie’s living room,” McCullers said. “It’s nonthreatening. It’s cozy. It’s warm. The candles are going. The music is really cool. You can ask questions, you don’t have to feel like you’re being judged.  That’s what it really represents.”

McCullers said wants to create an environment where customers feel comfortable asking honest questions, allowing the store to be a resource for textured hair care.

“I want (customers) to feel educated,” McCullers said. “I want them to know that they can leave with a product recommendation, knowing that we’ve firsthand used something and we can be honest. … I want them to walk away knowing the store is different and that we actually use the products. We know the history of the brands, and we know what the product actually does for a variety of hair types. That’s not something that they’re going to get going to a traditional beauty supply store.”

McCullers said she wants the store to act as a third space for the community, especially given its proximity to campus. 

“(I wanted) something that feels a bit like a third space for people where they can pop in and say, ‘Hey, how’s it going?’ Or, ‘My midterm sucked,’ ” McCullers said. “When I started the store, I definitely had the student community in mind. We’re obviously very close to campus … (I also thought about the) mom community, we are often doing our own kids’ hair, so we need products specifically for textured hair.”

McCullers said her interactions with University of Michigan students and Ann Arbor community members have shown her that Della’s was a necessary and meaningful addition to the area.

“Every time that students come in, they’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, I can’t believe this space exists. I can’t believe I didn’t know this was here before!’ ” McCullers said. “I’m so grateful that people will walk away feeling like this is actually closing a gap for us or meeting a need.”

McCullers said Della’s is dedicated to highlighting products from Queer-owned, Black-owned and women-owned businesses, with 70% of their current gift selection coming from BIPOC or women-owned companies.

“We highlight the newer brands, the cooler brands that are from BIPOC beauty businesses,” McCullers said. “It’s really important to me that I keep money circulating in those communities because I know what it’s like to run a business and it can be really difficult. But also, they have really cool stuff. There’s just always something exciting and new coming out.”

McCullers said in addition to her customers, the online community has been a consistent resource and support system. 

“I’m a part of a group that is a Facebook group for Black-owned beauty supply store owners, such a niche community, but they have a blueprint of like, ‘Hey, you’re starting a store, here are all the resources that you need, right?” McCullers said. “That’s where I find mentors from that community … they have a lot of resources and they have a startup kit of sorts that walks you through all of the basic products that you should have at the store.” 

Della’s periodically offers free events and education on hair care in partnership with local stylists from Original Moxie, a curly hair salon in Ypsilanti.

“They send their stylists here and we do free hair assessments and product giveaways for people in the community who want to learn how to better navigate their curls,” McCullers said. “Being able to offer that education that doesn’t cost anything is part of the work we want to continue doing. We truly believe in healthy hair and making sure that mind, body and soul, people are feeling great.”

McCullers said the store could not operate successfully without the help of U-M students. 

“Students are the engine that really helps the store run,” McCullers said. “They’re like 80% of the customer base. … We have five student ambassadors who are from the University of Michigan. We also have three staff members working here as part-time sales associates. Also, if I ever have graphic design needs or research needs, I always like to put a call out on my Instagram and I love the idea of continuing to keep money circulating (by) hiring students within the community.”

As a small business owner, McCullers said she believes recognizing and thanking the community for their support is incredibly important. 

“So many people in the community give us business and come in and bring their good vibes and good energy here,” McCullers said. “We want to be able to reciprocate in whatever way we can.”

Daily Staff Reporter Abby Harris can be reached at abigailx@umich.edu.

Related articles