Beverly Mascoll
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October 29, 1941
Beverly Mascoll | |
|---|---|
| Born | Beverly Ashe October 29, 1941 Fall River, Nova Scotia |
| Died | May 16, 2001 (aged 59) |
| Resting place | Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto |
| Known for | Incorporating her own beauty company, Mascoll Beauty Supply Ltd. |
Beverly Mascoll (born Beverly Ashe, 1941-2001)[1] was a Canadian businesswoman, fundraiser, community leader, and Member of the Order of Canada.
Beverly Ashe was born on October 29, 1941, in Fall River, Nova Scotia, to parents Arthur and Gwendolyn Ashe. The Ashe family moved to Toronto in the early 1950s, when Beverly was a teenager.[2]
After completing high school, Beverly Ashe worked as a receptionist at Toronto Barber and Beauty Supply.[3] Within six months she was working as an assistant to the company's president.[4] During this time she quickly noticed a business niche that needed to be filled - black hair-care products were scarce.
Mascoll Beauty Supply Ltd.
Beverly Mascoll incorporated her own company, Mascoll Beauty Supply Ltd. in 1970, with only $700. She began selling products out of her truck and home, before flying to Chicago to convince U.S. manufacturer Johnson Products (at the time the largest manufacturer of beauty products) to grant her the rights to be the company's first and only Canadian distributor.[2][3]
By 1971, Mascoll Beauty Supply was the leading distributor of black beauty products in Canada,[5] and went on to become a major player in the beauty supply industry.[3]
In addition to a chain of retail outlets, the company also manufactured and distributed products across the country. By the 1980s the business had expanded to include beauty demonstrations, conferences and professional hair care seminars. In 1984 Mascoll held the first ever Black beauty products trade show in Canada.[6]
By 1998, Mascoll's company carried 3,000 beauty care products, and operated a chain of retail outlets.[7] These retail outlets were a hub for many new Black-Canadian immigrants. The stores were a validation of their identity in a new country.