From Our Founder

November 30, 2024

Four years ago, I was a hairstylist living my dream of being a salon owner (I owned my salon for a little over 3 years at this point). My Mama was my Salon Manager, or “Momager” as I liked to call her. We were having a blast working together, and business was booming.

Then, the world came to a stand still. My business was closed, my clients were freaking out about their hair and I was wondering how the heck I was going to pay my bills. For self-employed hairstylists, if you're not working, you're not making money. I knew that Mother’s Day was coming up, so I quickly came up with an idea to create an “online catalogue” to send to my clients. I emailed them a selection of gift items to purchase, to help me pay the rent for the salon. It was a hit! With the support of my clients, I literally made just enough money to pay all my business bills! I was, and still am, grateful beyond words.

In the months that followed, my clients raved over my “online catalogue”, and kept telling me that I should have a website and sell decor online. They always loved how Mama and I decorated the salon, and often asked where we bought our decor, or advice on how to decorate their homes.

I kept shaking it off, month after month. Politely declining, saying I had enough on my plate as a salon owner. As the months went on, business was crazy, but was also slowing down. Everyone was so used to being at home and not being seen, they weren't so worried about their hair, and they started coming in less and less. By the holidays, I knew I had to do something else to help supplement my income. The only thing that made sense, where I could work around my salon schedule, was an online business. Thus, Southern Homestead Mercantile was born.

As I write you on this Small Business Saturday, I reflect on my past career as a hairstylist and salon owner. Small business is not for the faint of heart. It's hard work, and a lot of blood, sweat and tears. I am proud of the hair business I built, and that it led me here to you. For every click on our website, every referral to a friend or family member and every purchase big or small, we are so thankful! We are a small family business, through and through. We work hard, we're determined to succeed and we strive to do our best in everything we do. Small business runs deep in my family from past generations and I, along with other family members, are proud to keep that passion alive.

We know that choosing to shop small can be a risk because it's unfamiliar. With all the choices that you have to make, thank you for choosing us.

Thank you for taking the time to read this, for browsing our website, for following us on Facebook and Instagram, for sharing us and most of all, THANK YOU for shopping with us!

Yours Truly, 

Helena