October 19, 2020
Media Contact:
Scott Peterson, Director of Communications, Office of Public Information, 202-277-9412
ELLICOTT CITY, MD – The Blooming Hope Dominican Hair Salon is moving into 1,272 square feet of the Long Reach Village Center as part of the Long Reach Rising Revitalization project led by Howard County. The salon will offer hair services for women, men and children, and offer beauty products and accessories. Angela Concepcion and Jardiel Morel, owners of Blooming Hope, have owned and operated salons for more than 30 years in the Dominican Republic.
“Long Reach continues to attract diverse and established business owners, and we’re so pleased to welcome Blooming Hope Dominican Hair Salon to the Village Center,” said County Executive Calvin Ball. “In the past 10 months of revitalization, we’ve seen more than 10 spaces filled at the Village Center with a mix of creative businesses, artist studios, and museums. We will continue to support our small, local businesses that help our community thrive. Thank you to Blooming Hope for choosing to invest in Long Reach and our efforts to reinvigorate our community.”
“I’m excited to welcome Blooming Hope Dominican Hair Salon to our Long Reach family,” said Opel Jones, District 2 Councilmember. “This addition to Long Reach Rising provides more quality services to our residents that are close to home.”
"I have much hope and expectation for my salon and barber shop and also the entire Village Center,” said owner Angela Concepcion. “Every store that is opening here at the Center benefits the community and the community desires these services and products. I am very pleased to have the opportunity to be part of this transformation of the Village Center."
Concepcion is a licensed attorney in the Dominican Republic and ran her salons while working as an attorney. She was recognized in her hometown of Santo Domingo for her work with the community, offering internships at her businesses to women pursuing careers in cosmetology.
In the past year, more than 45,000 square feet of office and retail space has been leased, including 25,000 square feet of the space that previously housed Safeway. The Village Center was built in the late 1970s and was designed to meet a variety of residential, office and commercial needs. The Long Reach Rising goal is to help stabilize the area through maintenance, repair, beautification, and placemaking. Blooming Hope Salon joins Roving Radish, Manneq Art, Head Start, Every Kid Can Cook, Roll Up N Dye, the Columbia Arts Center, the Stonehouse Community Center, the African Art Museum of Maryland, and new Howard County Arts Council artists’ studios, as part of the emerging arts, culture, and entrepreneurship hub.