Hello,
My name is Oumi Diop, I am the owner and founder of Haven Hair Braiding in Hamden.
I am from Senegal, a country the size of our state, located in the West Coast of Africa.
As a young girl growing up, '' doing '' hair was my sole passion.
As it was not a source of income, my drive and pleasure was to ''wow' people with my designs at family gatherings and special occasions.
Years later, here I was in New York City, learning to make a living out of what was a hobby for me.
After various stints at different beauty salons along the famous 125th street in Harlem, I decided to move to Connecticut.
I opened shop in the former Chapel Square Mall in downtown New Haven in 1994, and at its closure in 2002, moved to 817 Chapel Street.
We relocated in December 2011 to our new location in Hamden in order to provide a better atmosphere and more amenities to our valued customers.
Giving my clients the confidence of wearing natural hair is what I am most thankful for, doing what I always loved is a blessing.
Thank you.
Oumi Diop