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20BODYOFCHRISTNEWSOCTOBER2014SherryHunterMilleristhesecond-generationownerofHuntersBeautySupply.Thebusinesshasbeeninoperationfor48years.ItwasstartedbyhermotherJoannaHunterHughesin1967becauseshesawaneedforproductsformulatedandavailablefortheBlackfamily.Shewasabletoidentifyandfillthatneed.ThebusinesswaslocatedatBuckinghamSquarefor21yearsintheMontviewShoppingCenterthemainlocationstartedinDahliaShoppingCenterthenmovedto7235ColfaxAvenue.TheyadvertisedonKDKOovertheyearsandhavesupportedthecommunityinmanyotherways.Ms.MillersaysThebusinesshaschangedateverylevelfrommanufacturerstodistributiontothefactthatmanypeopleorderontheinternet.ThemanufacturersofcoursewanttogetasmuchrepresentationaspossibleandtheyareworkingwithWalMartSallyBeautySupplyandotherlargechains.Thechainstoreshavetheadvantageofbuyinginlargevolumeatamuchlowerprice.ForinstancetheyareabletosellMagicShavefor94centsacan.WhenIbuyitdirectfromthemanufac-tureritcostsme1.21.Andthishasbeengoingonforyears.AndwiththeinternetcustomersareabletoshopfromhomeandoftengetfreeshippingandothercouponssothatisdifficulttocompetewithaswellsaysMs.MillerManufacturersusedtogiveexclu-sivestoindependentdistributorsforayearortwoinordertobuilddemandfortheirline.Soifanyonewantedthatproducttheywouldhavetocometoyoutopurchaseit.Manufacturersarenotdoingthatanymore.AnotherexamplesaysMs.MillerMacysmightbuyashirtmadeinChinaorIndonesiaandpay10thenturnaroundandsellittoyoufor80.00.Thatshirtweighslessthanapoundssoshippingcostsareminimal.Imshippinglitersgallonsand16oz.bottles.Nomatterwhatshippingcompanyyouusetheychargebyweight.AndthecustomerdoesntunderstandthatiswhyIcannotgive10-Offcou-ponsorabsorbtheshippingcharges.Inthemid-1980stheAsiancommunitystartedcuttingintothebeautysupplybusinessinabigway.Ms.MillersaysThereissomethingthatIdontunderstandIwouldnotshopwithanyonewhodoesnotrespectmeasapersondoesntwanttotakemypersonalcheck.AndmanyofushavenoteducatedourselvesanddonotknowtheydonthavetopaytaxesthefirstsevenyearstheyareinbusinessaccordingtotheVietNamTreaty.IfyoulookatwhattheAsiansaredrivingtheyarenotstartingoutwithanoldbeat-upusedcarthewaymanyofusdid.TheyandalsotheMexicanimmigrantssetupsoupkitchenswheretheygettheirotherbusinessestopayduesandthentheyhelpputnewcomersintobusiness.WedonthaveanythinglikethatintheBlackcommunitystatesMs.MillerHowevermymotherusedtoloanmoneyouttochurchesandsmallbusi-nesses.AftermymompassedIcontinuedherlegacyandtriedtohelpothershowevermanyofthosepeopleneverhaverepaidtheloans.EventhosethatItooktocourtandreceivedjudgmentsagainsttothisdayhavenotpaidHuntersbacksoIstoppedtryingtohelppeoplefinancially.IfthemoneyowedHuntershadbeenrepaidHunterswoulddefinitelybeinbettershapeIwasattheBronnerBrothersHairShowinAtlantaGeorgiaandAsianshavebecomeamajorpresencetherewherepreviouslytheywerenotrepresented.Thereisnothingwrongwithfreeenter-prisehoweverweneedtobemindfulofwhereourmoneyisgoing.TheAsianstypicallyhireafewBlackstoworkintheirstoresasawaytodrawinmorecustomersnotoutofasenseofcustomercarebutbecausetheyknowitisagoodbusinessstrategy.Whenmyclientssaytheycangetsomethingfor50centslessIsayYesbutwhileyouareinthereaskyourAsianstoretotakeouta10adinyourchurchbulletinaskthemtohireoneofyoursonsordaugh-ters.Askthemiftheycanevenhelpyouwithmakingaselectionofproductsforyourhair.Ms.MillercontinuesAtoneofthehairshowsduringaquestionandanswertimeanAsianstoreownersaidthemajorityofmycustomersareBlacktheyhavenoloyaltytheycometometheydonthaveanyloyaltytoeachother.SoIwillalwaysbeinbusinessandmychildrenwillbeinbusiness.IwasastonishedthinkingdoesntheseemeherealongwithmyotherbrothersandsistersIwasmortifiedwaitingforsomeoneelsetospeakupsinceIwasrathernewinthebusiness.Howevernoonesaidaword.ItwasthenthatIknewweasaracewereintroubleandthatIhadbettergetmyselftogether.WehavetodobetterandthatstartsinthehomewithourchildrenacknowledgesMs.MillerItrytoeducatemyclientsaboutwhytheyshoulddobusi-nesswithinourcommunityevenifitcostsalittlemore.Alsoourcustomerserviceisoneofthemainreasonsourclientskeepcomingback.Wegivethemtheopportunitytotryourproductsbeforetheybuyandgivethemadviceaboutthebestproductsfortheirhairsotheyknowtheywilllikethemandknowhowtousethemwhentheygethome.Ouroperatorsandstyliststakecontinuingeducationclassesandweofferseminarsforourclientsandthepublic.UnfortunatelyHuntersBeautySupplywillbeclosingonNovember152014.Thatdatewascho-sentogiveenoughtimetogetthebusinessaffairsinordergetthestorecleanedoutandleasedbytheendoftheyearandalsoallowtheemployeestohavetimewiththeirfamiliesovertheholidays.Ms.MillersaysThishasbeenhardforme.Ididntwanttoclosethebusiness.HoweverforthepastthreeyearsIhavebeendealingwiththisandithasgottenmoresothatmoneyisdictatingtomewhatIamabletodoandnotabletodo.BecauseIownthebuildingbutnotthelanditwouldnotbecost-effectiveforanewbuyertohavetopayamortgageandalsoalandleasesinceitwouldprob-ablybethreeyearsbeforetheywouldseeareturnontheirinvestment.Mostofusdonthaveanothersourceofincomesowecanwaitthreeyearsbeforeseeingaprofit.IhopethereaderswillthinkaboutsomeofthethingsIhavesaidandthattheywillseekoutotherBlackbusinessesandsupportthem.Ireallyappreci-atetheclientswhohavebeenwithusforsomanyyears.ManyofthemhavebecomegreatfriendsandalmostascloseasfamilysaysMs.Miller.Ms.MillerisalsoconcernedbecauseWehaveprovidedservicestosuchorganizationsastheStoutStreetFoundationGatewayBatteredWomensShelterTheGatheringPlaceTheKempeFoundationforphysicallyabusedchildrenandothers.Thoseorganizationsdependuponuswhoisgoingtopro-videthoseservicesnowIrealizetheyhaveothersponsorsbuthowmanyofthosesponsorslooklikeusWeneedtoteachourchildrenbecauseinschooltheydonotlearnabouthowtobalanceacheckbookwhatamortgageisorhowfinancesworkcontinuesMs.MillerAlsoyouhavetoknowcursivetosignalegaldocuments.YoucantjustsignwithanX.Therearesomanythingsthatweneedtodotostepuptotheplateandlookatthebiggerpicture.SupportingBlackBusinessCOMMUNITYsomeofuswouldhavelostourjobs.Ifwerenotforsomeofourwivesinter-cedingforussomeofuswouldhavelostourfriends.Ifwerenotforsomeofourwivesintercedingforussomeofuswouldnotbeheldinhighesteembyourin-lawsfamilyandfriends.WhatkindofmandoyouwanttobetodayDoesyourwifehavetocontinu-allycoverforyouIsyourmarriagemoreamatterofendurancethanloveInverse38itsaysofmeanmanNabalThenitcameaboutafterabouttendaysthattheLordstruckNabalandhedied.Withoutadoubtallofusdiethatisacertainty.YoudonotwanttodiewithaNabalkindoftestimony.Aspeoplesitaroundanddiscussyourlifeyoudonotwanttheytosaythatyouwereameanmanthatyouwereascoundrelthatnoonecouldtalktoyouthatyouwereadrunkordrugaddict.YouwantyourchildrentosayIlovedmydaddyhewasagoodman.YouwantyourwifetosayIlovedmyhusbandhewasagoodman.YouwantyourfriendstosayHewasagoodman.Youareincontrolofwhatthetestimonyofyourlifewillbe.WhatwillyouchooseforittobetodayFewifanyofyoumaylooklikeaNabalandAbigailabeautyandthebeastrelationship.Ihopehoweverthatyourecognizetheneedtobeabetterhusbandabetterfatherandabet-terfriend.InChristtheBibledeclaresthatwecanbecomenewcreations.InChristyourlifecanbechanged.InChristyoucanbetransformedandbecomewhatyouknowyouneedtobe.Thefirststepinchangingisacknowl-edgingtheneedtochange.MEAN...frompage9IhopereaderswillthinkaboutsomeofthethingsIhavesaidandthattheywillseekoutotherblackbusinessesandsupportthem.LOCALEVENTs73rdAnniversaryOct4TheOwlClubofDenverwillcelebrateits73rdyearinDenverattheFoundersDayProgramonSat.11amto1pmAttheBlair-CaldwellAfricanAmericanResearchLibrary2401WeltonStDenver802052NightsofInspirationOct1314MonTuesat7pmeachnight.GuestPreacherReverendBrianEdmondsSeniorPastorofMacedoniaBaptistChurchPittsburghPA.LocationMacedoniaBaptistChurch3240AdamsStDenver80205Rev.Lane.Info303-377-8821www.mbcdenverco.orgMedicalClinicOct25ColoradoSpringsMissionMedicalClinicisproudlypartneringwith9Healthtoholda9HealthFaironSat8amto1200p.m.withFREE9HealthAdultScreenings