WACO, TX — Shopping local can make all the difference for business owners across Central Texas, owners like Sthefanie Welch and Jessica Rayborn.
Welch owns The Black Daisy Boutique.
"Our entire mission is making women feel beautiful, empowered, worthy, and enough," she said.
It's a message you can see and feel while shopping inside her store. Welch opened her first location in 2016 and her second one in July amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We do have days when not a single soul walks in here, and with having two locations, it can get hard when you are paying employees and no one is coming in," said the owner.
One thing that is helping is their online presence.
"Even though we are not getting that door traffic, we appreciate that through the pandemic, everyone is shopping online and hope that continues," Welch said.
Her bestfriend, Jessican Rayborn, took a leap of faith with and opened her own hair salon, The Wicked Hair Studio, inside of the same building. She says her mission is very similar to Welch's.
"I love making everyone feel great about themselves and feel beautiful," said Rayborn.
The new owner says her business has started to pick up since the start of the pandemic.
"Being locked down for so long, a lot of people are ready to feel themselves again," Rayborn said.
Both Rayborn and Welch hope the community will continue supporting local businesses, whether it's by getting a new shirt or a new hairstyle.
"We opened this in the middle of a pandemic and it's been hard," said Welch. "But I don't regret it and would do it ten times over if I could."
The Black Daisy Boutique is located at:
1124 Washington Avenue Suite 2
Waco, TX 76708
10412 China Spring Road Suite G
Waco, TX 76701
It's open from Wednesday through Saturday from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
You can find the Wicked Hair Studio at:
1124 Washington Avenue Suite 2
Waco, TX 76708
To book an appointment, contact Rayborn via social media or call (254) 315 - 3685.
