How Bakersfield’s Nikki Beauty Supply and Salon brings Nigerian touch to clients

Cecilia Trevino
·2 min read

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — For five years, Nikki Beauty Supply and Salon has catered to the African American community in Bakersfield, and the owner says there’s a special reason customers keep coming back.

After Nikki Adekoba moved to Bakersfield in 2012, she quickly realized her community was much smaller than she expected.

“When I moved down to Bakersfield, it was a struggle, because everywhere I go, I say ‘Is there any black here?'” said Adekoba, owner of Nikki Beauty Supply and Salon. “I started asking everybody. I have not seen black!”

Born in Ibadan, Nigeria, Adekoba’s love for hair means culture.

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“I know how to do hair from Africa, and all of us — we have the same hair texture, that was what I knew how to do,” said Adekoba. “That was my first love — my hair, because I have the same texture.”

According to Adekoba, that culture became the driving force to start her business.

“So, I was like, ‘Okay, we don’t have a lot of our hair products here,'” said Adekoba. “‘Let me start and introduce my type of hair products into Bakersfield, so that they know where to go and get the right hair product for their hair.'”

Adekoba’s talent quickly pulled customers from all over the state.

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“I have a lot of clients from L.A., I have Lake Isabella, they drive all the way from Lake Isabella,” said Adekoba. “I have [clients] in Delano, I have [clients] in Fresno. As a matter of fact, this lady — I did her hair yesterday — she came all the way from Tulare.”

Another key part of the business is makeup — an industry that continues improving for deeper skin tones.

“Before, we didn’t used to have all these colors of concealer,” said Adekoba. “But right now, we have a lot. We have a lot and we’re still getting better.”

Adekoba said her goal is for clients to find anything they need.

“The purpose of opening this store is to help the minority community,” said Adekoba. “Most of us, we use the wrong products, because of the environment we find ourselves in.”

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