New beauty supply business hopes to uplift Flint, other Black-owned businesses

Flint sisters Tori and Brianna Mcmillian both have extensive backgrounds in the beauty and cosmetics industry. Now, they’ve teamed up to open Caught My Eye Beauty and Barber Supply (7031 N. Saginaw Street), a beauty, cosmetics, and barber supply store in Flint.

“We’ve always been in the beauty and barber type of environment,” Tori Mcmillian said. “My dad’s been a barber for 10-plus years, I’ve done hair, my sister did hair.”

As sisters, they’ve grown up communicating with each other as family, but are now navigating communication as business partners as well.

“Sometimes with family, you get upset or just shut down and stop talking to each other,” Brianna Mcmillian said. “You have to remember this is a business and you can’t do that. Once you’re able to get past that, the business will run so smoothly because you’ll be aware of and share everything.”

The store includes a barber and beauty shop area, as well as a variety of barber, beauty, and cosmetic supplies. There is also an aisle called “Black Wall Street” that features various beauty products from Black-owned businesses.

“We want to connect with Black businesses in Flint that have any beauty products,” Tori Mcmillian said. “We’re trying to support our people and give back. We want to take this and just keep growing.”

The store opened in August and has had a steady stream of customers as they add products and services. They’ve also done pop-up events, something they say they plan to continue. They’ve also successfully navigated through the more complicated process of opening a business during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It has made us just have to be more prepared and go the extra mile to make sure people are shopping safe and we’re safe,” Brianna Mcmillian said.

“We plan to continue to do pop-up shops and invite the community out,” Tori Mcmillian said. “We’re just trying to uplift Flint and bring something here to help build everybody up.”