Photography courtesy of Tameka Stigers
Tameka Stigers, owner of Locs of Glory
August is National Black Business Month, founded in 2004 by Californians Frederick E. Jordan and John William Templeton to help highlight Black entrepreneurs and encourage people to support their businesses. There’s plenty of ways to observe the month here in St. Louis. The Delmar Loop, in particular, is showcasing its nearly 30 Black-owned businesses, from boutiques to salons to restaurants to specialized services. Rachelle L’Ecuyer, executive director of The Delmar Loop, notes that of those, the majority are owned by women.
“Black women-owned businesses are the fastest-growing part of the small business sector,” she notes.
Tameka Stigers owns Locs of Glory at 5886 Delmar. With 10 years at the salon under her belt and expansion planned, she’s a force when it comes to small business ownership. Last year, she was named a Small Business Administration Minority Small Business of the Year winner and visited the White House as part of that honor.
“That was quite an experience,” she says. After the visit, she was invited to participate in group strategy calls with Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin and Vice President Mike Pence.
Like most businesses, Stigers is continuing to deal with the pandemic and its impact on customer habits.
“As far as our business, we are just steady, making strides after bouncing back after the coronavirus shutdown,” Stigers says. “We started out with a smaller team coming back, and we’re working on getting our clients back, helping them feel safe when they come into the space.”
Stigers says she has been successfully applying for business grants to expand Locs of Glory, adding wellness components like a float tank. She’s encouraging business owners she knows to apply for grants as well and helping them with the logistics of applying.
For her, the business meets her own needs, but also allows her to give back.
“My number one goal with a business is to provide employment opportunities for those in the community,” she says. “That is huge to me.”
For more options to shop Black businesses, check out STL Black Biz and Every Day We Spend. Have your own favorite list? Drop it in the comments.
