This Retailer Wants to Build Generational Wealth for BIPOC Beauty Founders
Cofounder Nyakio Grieco on Thirteen Lune's next chapter. |
The word ‘community’ has several definitions. It can be a place where a group of people share something in common—this can be a physical space, like a town or a gym, as well as principles or history; a community can be a place where people feel comfortable talking, celebrating, and supporting one another. That idea of community has been a driving force for beauty entrepreneur Nyakio Grieco. Community is the reason she launched Nyakio Beauty, a brand inspired by the Kenyan beauty rituals passed down from her grandparents. It’s also the reason she launched Thirteen Lune, with co-founder Patrick Herning, an omnichannel beauty destination focused on highlighting Black and brown-owned beauty brands and elevating Black founders with the goal of building generational wealth in that community. And community is found in every square inch of Thirteen Lune’s first flagship store in the Larchmont Village neighborhood of Los Angeles. And the store doesn’t just sell products—there’s an in-house flower shop, County Line Florals, and customers can make appointments with eyebrow expert Damōne Roberts.
Below, we talk to Greico about her childhood interest in beauty, why she wanted to build Thirteen Lune, her hopes for the retailer, and more.
What sparked your interest in beauty?
“I was inspired to create my first skincare brand as a first-generation American of Kenyan descent. I went to visit my grandparents for the first time when I was eight years old. My grandmother was a coffee farmer, and my grandfather, who had passed away before I got the chance to meet him, was a medicine man.
“It was on that trip that these family beauty recipes were passed down to me through my grandmother, Nyakio. Over the years, growing up as a kid, I loved beauty [but] I didn't necessarily think I would have a career in beauty. But when I left my job at 27 to create my first skincare brand, it was because I felt that the continent of Africa was very underrepresented in the premium beauty space.
“I wanted to be able to not only share these family beauty rituals, but also share beauty rituals that inspired me from other cultures. I wanted to show that Black and brown people not only create products for ourselves, but we create products for everyone.”
Walk me through the decision to quit your job at 27.
“It was scary, but I will say that I had naivete on my side. It was 2001 when I made the decision to leave my job and launch my brand in 2002. I was 27, it was a perfectly beautiful time to be selfish in my life. I wasn't married, I didn't have kids. I lived in Los Angeles, which is a city of dreamers, and I had no idea what the stats were.
“I have such compassion for young entrepreneurs, especially people of color and women of color because it's just thrown in their faces all the time how unlikely it is that they will get funding, how unlikely it is that they will get shelf space, how unlikely it is that they would succeed. I didn't have anybody telling me that I couldn't do it. So, I believed that I could.
“I do believe that that is something that I think everybody should harness no matter where you are in your journey, no matter what age you are. If you decide that you want to start a business, don't get deterred by the stats. Why not you?”
When did you realize that you wanted to build Thirteen Lune?
“In 2020, we were in the midst of a global pandemic as well as a racial reckoning. And at the time, I was still working with Nyakio Beauty. It had since been acquired by Unilever, but I was still working with my brand. There was a lot of incredible work going on at the time like Aurora James’s 15 Percent Pledge happening and Sharon Chuter's Pull Up for Change. So in my mind, I thought, ‘I want to create the retailer that I always wished I had.’
“Patrick [Herning] and I decided to co-found it originally as a beauty platform fully knowing that we always wanted it to be omnichannel. Six months later, we launched in December of 2020. We started with 13 BIPOC brands and one ally brand. Sixty days later, we got the call from JCPenney asking us to partner with them on a hyper-inclusive beauty movement. We just recently completed opening the 609 Thirteen Lune stores within JCPenney. And, of course, our beautiful flagship, which we just recently opened.”
What was the flagship opening like for you?
“I live in the neighborhood near Larchmont Boulevard, and it's always been this place of community. When I first moved to LA in my early 20s, I remember driving through the Windsor Square Hancock Park area of LA and thinking to myself, ‘One day, if I ever get married and have kids, I want to live here because it feels like home.’ It's this beautiful enclave of suburbia right in the middle of Los Angeles, and your kids can ride their bikes.
“Our Highline Street, Larchmont Boulevard, has been known historically as one of the greatest shopping districts in Los Angeles. It's a mix of beautiful startups as well as businesses that have been around for decades. When we were looking for spaces around LA, in some ways I didn't even consider Larchmont because we already have so many amazing beauty stores but then I thought, ‘Well, why wouldn't I want to be a part of the beauty community here on Larchmont Boulevard?’ Larchmont Boulevard has quickly become Beauty Row in Los Angeles. It's been a beautiful experience. I've always dreamed of having a standalone store and having a place of community. It's my newfound happy place.”
How does the team decide which brands to stock in-store?
“We’re so fortunate to have Janelle Freeman, our VP of merchandising. I call her the curator of the beauty gallery. All brands that come to Thirteen Lune, whether it be inbound or brands that Janelle and her team go out and find, have to have a true and authentic founder story. People buy into people before they buy into products. It's so important that who you are and what you stand for come through.
“We love unique formulations, and these are formulations that can be used on all skin tones, hair types, etc. to help serve all. They have to be the most inclusive of their category, as well as non-toxic. When you come to Thirteen Lune, you’re discovering over 175 brands that you may not have ever heard of before. Part of the joy of beauty is the discovery. And so, not only are you discovering these amazing products, you're also discovering these amazing people.”
What do you hope for in the future of Thirteen Lune?
“With Thirteen Lune, it's a global beauty story when we're talking about celebrating BIPOC founders who come from around the globe. Most beauty rituals and beauty ingredients that we use across the entire beauty industry come from marginalized parts of the world. And so, I see Thirteen Lune as a global beauty community. I know that my end goal is to help in however possible to build generational wealth through the lens of beauty. I think what we're seeing and what we're experiencing at Thirteen Lune is that people are ready to make their beauty shopping more meaningful.”