Business & Tech
Business of the Week: Systahood II Beauty Supply
Forks Township entrepreneur fulfills a local need by opening her second store in her hometown.
On April 16 of this year, Systahood II Beauty Supply opened its doors to the public, located between the Exxon mini-mart and Sicily’s Pizza in the strip mall of Knox Avenue in Forks Township.
Systahood Beauty Supply sells, well, beauty supplies. The store carries just about any type of hair care goods anyone could ask for, with a specialty in products for people of color.
Owner Monica Alston dubbed her store Systahood II because the original Systahood, her first store in East Orange, NJ, has been open for about 11 years. As residents of Forks Township, she and her husband, who operate the stores together, recognized a local demand for the products they sell.
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“Most people were going to Allentown or Jersey to pick up their hair supplies,” said Alston. “I thought there was a need for it in this area.”
Alston stressed that the store is open to the public; the store carries such an array of products that many customers believe they have to be a licensed cosmetologist to shop there.
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Behind the counter of Systahood is a wall of extensions and weaves, some made with human hair, others synthetic. The opposite far wall is dedicated to brushes, combs, rollers and other accessories. The rear shelves are lined with mannequin heads, each displaying a different style of wig.
“Right now, the wigs are selling really well,” said Alston.
The store carries full lines of shampoos, conditioners and treatments from natural-hair product lines like Jane Carter, Nairobi Professional, and Carol’s Daughter.
Among the rest of the inventory are hair colors and dyes; clippers, blades, and other barber supplies; and appliances, like blow dryers and curling irons.
Systahood II also sells nail care supplies such as polish, remover and files, and body jewelry. According to Alston, the jewelry, which includes earrings, necklaces, and navel rings, are popular items for the Forks store.
“There’s no other beauty supply like this around here,” said Alston. “A lot of people come in and say, ‘This is just what I needed.’”
Systahood II Beauty Supply is located at 1434 Knox Avenue in Forks Township. The store, which accepts Visa and Mastercard, is open seven days a week: Monday through Saturday, from, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.