CORPUS CHRISTI, Tx — Tucked in the middle of the Park Square shopping center on Everhart is Kae’s Emporium, one of the oldest Black owned businesses in Corpus Christi that's still in operation.
“This is a new client of mine,” Kenyata Evans said as he twisted a customer’s hair inside the salon in the back of Kae’s. “I’m using a new technique on him.”
Kenyata has been a barber and loctician for twenty years at Kae’s.
“It could take all day,” Kenyata said. “But this shouldn’t take more than 3 hours tops.”
He would spend three hours on his feet working on just one customer and still had the rest of the work day to go.
Just an arm lengths away from Kenyata’s chair, was his mom Kae Evans, the owner of the salon and beauty shop.
“She started doing hair when she was 16, Kenyata said about his mom. “Doing corn rows for my dad and his friends.”
Kenyata said as she got older, his mom noticed Corpus Christi didn’t have much to offer when it came to the beauty needs of the Black community.
“There was absolutely nothing other than going to your Sally’s or Walmart to find any Black products at all and they were so limited and so it was scarce,” Kenyata said. “It was hard.”
So, she took things into her own hands.
“She just came to where she was just saving up and said, ‘One of these days I’m going to get my own shop,” Kenyata said. “So, she started off with no loans straight cash. This is all family owned and operated since August of 1993.”
Kae expanded into several larger spaces.
“There was other venues that opened up for supplies but nobody had the supply and the knowledge to actually have stylists in their shop," Kenyata said. “So we’re the first ones to actually do that.”
She renewed her cosmetology license and started providing hair services on top of products.
She finally landed at her current location on Everhart Road near Curtis Clarke Drive.
“We’ve been doing this for 30 years and we’re gonna do it the best we can,,” Kenyata said. “And if there’s other people out there. That’s fine. We aren’t afraid of competition. It’s enough for everybody.”
According to the Corpus Christi Black Chamber of Commerce, Kaes is one of the oldest Black owned businesses in Corpus Christi in operation.
“It’s great to know that they’re still here and of course it just adds to the longevity factor that any Black owned business owner or entrepreneur can establish longevity in whatever their passion, skill, gift or talent is,” Clifton Pope, treasurer for the CCBCC said.
It was surprise to Kenyata when KRIS 6 News reporter Taylor Alanis told him.
“I had no idea that we were the oldest,” Kenyata said.
He credited the success of the store and salon to his mom, siblings and, above all, his faith.
“My mother always kept us in the Bible, kept us in the word,” Kenyata said. “And we try to keep everybody in the right direction. Give them inspiration.”
Several generations have sat in the chairs at Kae’s.
“We’ve had artists come through here that’s gone on and made great changes,” Kenyata said. “We’ve had athletes come up and make great changes in the world.”
The Evans family said everyone that walks into the shop is treated like family.
“We accept everybody for who they are, what they are and where they come from,” Kenyata said. “It doesn’t matter because we’re all in this world trying to make a difference. Trying to get by really.”
Kae's Emporium is open Tuesday through Sundays from 10 a.m. to 7 pm.
