Leauna Smith is not a typical college student.
Smith, 20, attends Florida State University as an occupational therapy major.
She’s also a businesswoman. On Aug. 28, despite scholarly obligations, she managed to plan and execute the opening of her first salon, Luvlee Beauty Bar. It employs seven and is located not far from FSU’s campus at 719 N. Calhoun St.
Smith credits her support network for pulling this off.
“Honestly, putting everything together was definitely the hardest part. I basically started the shop from scratch and had to bring my vision to life. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without the support from my friends and family,” Smith said.
“I also wanted to expand my skincare business, and I felt that opening a shop was the best way to build clientele from the traffic of our workers,” Smith said. “Luvlee Beauty Bar provides services for all your beauty needs. This way all our workers including me can grow as a team.”
At Luvlee Beauty Bar’s grand opening, many of Smith’s family and friends along with local residents gathered to support her accomplishment. One customer shine said she was impressed by the choice of services and her experience at Luvlee Beauty Bar. Jaida Toney, a Florida A&M student, said: “I really admire how Luvlee Beauty Bar is like a one-stop shop. Everything is cute and clean and I can’t wait to be serviced.”
DJs, photographers, and food catering services came together to ensure the opening was a smooth success.
Luvlee Beauty Bar consists of seven workers providing a variety of beauty services for hair, makeup, nails, lashes and facials while simultaneously selling clothes, jewelry and other beauty essentials from small Black-owned brands in Tallahassee.
A majority of the staff went from providing their services from their homes to calling Luvlee Beauty Bar their first shop home. Kylah Davis, an Oklahoma native and FAMU transfer student, brought her talents to continue to develop her craft.
“I honestly feel more comfortable, safer and professional providing an actual shop address for my clients to come to,” Davis said. “Working from home makes it harder to provide an all around professional experience despite the comfort and convenience. You just never know what to expect when walking in someone else’s home, and now my clients don’t have to worry about that.”
Smith anticipates a lot of success with the upcoming homecoming season. All booking can be made through Launna Smith’s business page on instagram, @luvleebeautybarllc, for any beauty needs.