In the braids business: A local woman says her salon is empowered by hair care.

For Angelina Yore, having a great hair day isn’t just about style, it’s about motivation.

“For me as a black woman, hair is a huge part of my faith,” she said. “When my hair is done, I feel more confident and more empowered. So hair is a big thing. Also, covering hair is a way to protect the appearance of our hair. It’s a way to grow my hair. So it’s not just about confidence, it’s also a cultural thing.”

However, when Yore first moved to Columbus, there were no hair salons in town, so she drove to Indianapolis to get her hair done. Other women told her about similar experiences.

To remedy this, Yore opened her own business: Enoch Hairdressing, in 1954 on State St. in Columbus. The salon, named after her mother, had a grand opening in July 2022.

Yor offers natural hair services including all types of braids. Although the business is specifically for black women, she said she can do all types of hair.

“There aren’t a lot of people of color or enough customers” in Columbus, Yoor said of the challenges her business faces.

However, the best part of her job is seeing clients come in and be satisfied with their new look.

“When I look at the end of the day, a woman walks out the door and she’s so happy with her hair, you look beautiful, which means I’m going to do it all day,” Yoor said.

Her passion for knitting dates back to childhood. Growing up, she had no TV or games, so she and the other children spun their own dolls and made their own hair.

Yor was born in South Sudan. When she was 2 years old, her family moved north to avoid war.

In the year She came to Columbus as a refugee in 2004, fleeing the newly independent state of South Sudan. Her family was brought home by the United Nations and sponsored by the Archdiocese of Indianapolis.

She is very grateful to Joe and Dave McKinney, who have helped her family tremendously since they moved to Columbus. She said that Yor Jo was like a mother and was there for her even during childbirth.

And since she didn’t speak English at first, Jo served as a helper between situations like doctor’s appointments and business meetings.

“It really allowed me to open my business,” says Yor.

Another local support you may look for in the future is Targeted Investment in Small Entrepreneurs (TIME), a local program that provides business and financial resources to small-owned businesses. Businesses must be in business for at least a year to qualify, so Anok Hair Braiding is not yet eligible.

Yor says TIME is very helpful and offers ways to connect with other small businesses in town.

“I’m grateful to be in Columbus and the people of Columbus have welcomed me,” she said.