Local Black business leaders honored

SANDUSKY — The Minority Business Empowerment Team recognized three local Black business owners Friday, Feb. 25, at an inaugural Black Pioneer Event, in honor of Black History Month, at Venue 634 in Sandusky. Bridget Burel, Phil Parker and Johnny Reed were nominated by the community for their success and impact in the area. Bridget Burel Burel is the owner of Lena Brows & Beauty Bar in Sandusky. She sees brows as an art, and not just a beauty service, and she started her own business after doing brow services at the Sandusky Mall and Ventra. When her grandmother fell ill, Burel decided it was time to quit working for someone else. She named that business after her grandmother, Lena. She began by working out of her mother's home on Hancock Street. She said she knew there was a stigma about Hancock Street, but people flocked from all over, and frequently, for her services anyway. She was able to find a space in downtown Sandusky where she could do business. It started as just one room. But now, Burel has multiple rooms and offers many services including brow tinting, waxing, threading and tweezing; lash lifts, tints and extensions; various facials; body waxing; and makeup services. She has three employees: herself, her facialist and a receptionist. Burel is very involved in the Sandusky community: • She has visited Sandusky High School classes to talk about entrepreneurship. • She created an outreach program, called Let's Talk, to bring entrepreneurs into one room to discuss challenges entrepreneurs face and help connect them with services that might help them succeed. • She participates in spring and winter camps with the Sandusky Recreation Department. • Burel also developed a program called Color Me Pretty to teach kids about filling themselves with positivity and spreading love. "Bridget is always extending a helping hand with upcoming entrepreneurs, helping them navigate the journey of business ownership," a member of the community shared in a nomination. When asked who has helped her achieve her goals, Burel said she would like to "thank the village" as many people in the community have brought her opportunities and success. She extended a special thank you to her grandmother, Phil P., Miss Erma, Mr. Stevenson, Mr. Bill and Eric Wobser. "You can't be around greatness and not want to be great," Burel said. She then offered advice for future Black entrepreneurs: "Be true to yourself, your culture and stay professional. Don't lose the essence of you. Stay professional but keep your juice. Time is going to pass anyway, so you might as well do it anyway." Phil "Phil P" Parker Sr. Phil Parker Sr., more commonly known as "Phil P," began cutting hair 29 years ago. When he started, he opened a barbershop called Parker Brothers with another barber whose last name was also Parker. When the second Parker left, Phil decided to cut hair on his own. He rented two different locations before being offered a shop location by Mr. Brown, who was retiring. When asked if there was anyone he wanted to thank, Parker said, "God and Mr. Brown." "For more than 25 years, Phil has directly and indirectly shown young Black men in this area, through adversity, you can still aspire to be whatever you want to be. Phil successfully ran a business when entrepreneurship wasn't trendy and when there wasn't a lot of support for it. I am thankful for the lessons he has taught me and the multiple Black businesses that have been born from Phil P's inspiration," shared Spencer Patterson, the Minority Business Empowerment Team's co-chair and co-owner of Fancy Me Boutique. Parker cuts hair, but he also teaches others how to do it, too. He has been an instructor for the past nine years at two different locations: Hone Barber College and LaBarberia Institute in Cleveland. Parker enjoys teaching the craft because he wants to give others the opportunity to be an asset to their community. "I try to be a positive pillar in the community," Parker said when asked how he tries to stay involved in the community. He often provides free haircuts to children and seniors. He has also visited the Boys & Girls Clubs of America club to give free haircuts. The last words from Parker were to thank everyone who comes into his shop. "We are all a team." Johnny Reed Johnny Reed — the owner of CR Exchange, CEO of Haterblockerz Sunglasses, founder of the Sandusky Dream Team and the man who famously stopped a home invader in 2018 — was also honored. Reed's store, CR Exchange, began as an electronics and games exchange store 21 years ago. Reed began the shop on Hancock Street in Sandusky. CR Exchange has always seen growth and has moved multiple times to different locations to accommodate the growing interest in the community. The store currently resides in the Sandusky Plaza on Cleveland Road (U.S. 6). The addition of clothing, shoes and other accessories has been popular for the store. Reed said those who visit his store are "more than customers. They are a family. The store is more than a store. It's special." One could say the store is special after knowing that a couple was wed in the store, and Reed saved someone's life in the parking lot. People describe Reed as an anchor in the community. He puts on Christmas drives, does shoe and basketball giveaways, provides Narcan and more. "Johnny Reed deserves the nomination. He actually cares about people and the well-being of this community," one nominator shared. Reed is also known to wear unique styles like large and vibrant sunglasses. "People would say those are Johnny Reed glasses," Reed shared. He took advantage of that reputation and created his own line of sunglasses called Haterblockerz. Haterblockerz represents more than a personal line of sunglasses. They encourage anti-bullying and anti-hate. Having experienced bullying himself, he wanted to create a movement with his sunglass line to combat bullying. Now, over 150 celebrities, including Snoop Dogg and Soulja Boy, wear Haterblockerz and foster the anti-hate message. "Turn hate into fuel. When you receive negative comments, take your power and make it positive. Have self-love and be your best cheerleader," Reed said when asked what he would tell future Black entrepreneurs. He is teaching his son, Johnathon, these very lessons as his son embarks on his own entrepreneurship journey. Jonathon owns his own candy buffet, a freeze-dried candy line called Alien Krunch, and is working on his own clothing line and to become a DJ. Bio blast: Minority Business Empowerment Team The Minority Business Empowerment Team is a grassroots collaborative effort between local minority-owned businesses, the Erie County Economic Development Corp., the Regional Incubator for Sustainability and Entrepreneurship, the city of Sandusky and its commissioners and Sandusky Schools. The team's mission is to champion minority business development through collective and intentional entrepreneur support that improves the economic, social and personal standing for all minority entrepreneurs in the greater Sandusky area. Since forming in 2020, the group has used networking events and social media to build community and increase visibility of hundreds of local minority entrepreneurs and has delivered business and financial assistance to dozens of minority-owned businesses.