Waldo salon owner rebuilds business after car smashes KC salon: ‘Trying to live’
Bianca Russell opened her Kansas City beauty salon just before the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, enduring one of the roughest times in recent history for businesses, she said.
But after five years of keeping Prestige Beauty Salon afloat, one car wreck has destroyed the business she worked so hard to build.
One Sunday morning, Russell received a phone call from the owner of a neighboring barbershop, stating that a car was in the middle of her salon.
Russell found exactly that once she arrived. She was told by officers that a woman was having a mental health episode while driving and backed her vehicle into the storefront.
Kansas City police confirmed to The Star that officers “located a vehicle into a building” on July 27 at approximately 9:25 a.m., and one person was transported to a hospital, according to Sgt. Phil DiMartino, a police spokesperson.
DiMartino was unable to confirm what led to the crash. Police are still investigating the incident.
The crash has closed Prestige Beauty Salon indefinitely, as Russell works to fix the damage. That will be a struggle of its own, Russell said, because she is currently without business insurance, as she was searching to acquire it after her previous policy lapsed.
“You think that you have time.... I’ll find something affordable,” Russell said. “[The crash is] the last thing that you would expect to happen. That one really, really kind of knocked me to my knees.”
‘Can’t do this alone’
Prestige Beaty Salon specializes in natural hairstyles, but is a full service salon, Russell said.
As a Black hairstylist, Russell wanted to create a safe space for Black women and women with diverse hairstyles, specifically in the Waldo neighborhood. She previously worked in other barbershops but always felt like she was called by God to run her own business.
“I’ve always been a go-getter. I’ve always been a leader,” Russell said. “I knew that when I worked in those spaces, that just wasn’t the end. I was working around some bosses... So once I did open up my salon, I knew that I was right where I needed to be.”
While her salon is closed, Russell has been offered temporary spaces where she can style hair. She has also started a fundraiser to rebuild her business and to help take care of her three children, one of whom has special needs.
With a goal of $2,200, she is less than $400 away from her goal. A Kansas City native, Russell is grateful for the support she’s already received from the community that she serves.
“I normally handle things on my own, but I knew that I had got to a point to where I just can’t do this alone. I truly need the support for my community, whether it’s prayers, encouragement, not even just monetary,” she said.
“It’s really a community with the small businesses. We are just trying to live day to day.”
