Dudley Products Inc. is one of the region’s most popular black sources for assistance in hair maintenance. Like many other black owned companies, Dudley Products Inc. expanded from humble beginnings.

The company began in North Carolina and has expanded nationwide. Locally, Dudley’s Beauty Center and Spa has become a pampering center for college students from UNC-Greensboro, Bennett College and A&T.

Dudley’s Beauty Center and Spa is located on East Market Street and has been operating for about two years. Due to plumbing issues, the business has temporarily moved to Elm Street.

Employees say they hope to move back to their permanent location in approximately two weeks.

Dudley’s Beauty Center and Spa’s services include rejuvenating shampoos, thermal/press texturizing (press and curl) and masks for the hair. Waxing, hand and foot care, skin care and gift cards are also available. Services are available for both men and women.

“I enjoy Dudley products because everyone can’t buy it. It’s a professional line maintained for professionals. I think Dudley is a great product that deals with healthy hair. If you are looking for healthy hair, Dudley products is for you,” said stylist, Jennifer Foster.

Dudley’s Beauty Center and Spa promotes “A Day of Beauty.” Clients are able to get everything done within one day. The promotion is for any organization or group of friends that want to enjoy a day of pampering and possibly hold meetings in a private room.

Dudley also offers numerous promotions including preferred clientele.

To become a preferred client, there must be documented history of getting services every week for a month or every two weeks for three months. Those clients will recieve 20 percent off every service.

The salon is busiest on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Walk-ins are accepted.

The current promotion is the $10 wrap special on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

“We are going to be in the A&T homecoming parade and I’m pretty sure we are going to be running some specials for one week only,” stylist, Tiffany Dean said.

They have not decided exactly what they will do in the parade.

The stylists agree that everyone at A&T should come to Dudley’s Beauty Center and Spa to get their hair and nails done.

“All A&T students get 10 percent off regular priced items,” Foster said.

From selling products door-to-door to establishing a multi-million dollar hair care and cosmetics company, Joe and Eunice Dudley have beaten the odds and developed a powerful and successful black owned institution.

In 1957, Joe Dudley Sr. invested $10 in a S.B. Fuller Products Sales Kit and started a long journey of door-to-door salesmanship in Brooklyn, N.Y. It was during this time he met his wife and future business partner, Eunice Mosley.

The Dudleys moved to Greensboro in 1967 and opened a Fuller Products Distributorship. Sales took off and Fuller was no longer able to supply them with the amount of products needed. They then decided to try product manufacturing, packaging and selling the products on their own.

Due to a restricted budget, they had to fill whatever used jars and containers they could find with their product.

In 1976, their sales force grew to 400 employers and the Dudleys developed a chain of beauty supply stores and beauty schools throughout the Southeast.

During that same year, the couple relocated to Chicago to assist Fuller in operating Fuller Products. Mr. Dudley was appointed president and Mrs. Dudley worked in the administrative and manufacturing areas.

The Dudleys continued to operate Dudley Products, Inc. while in Chicago. They developed a partnership with professional cosmetologists and continue to only sell their products to licensed professionals.

JeShelle Nichols, local licensed cosmetologist, says she rarely gets her products from anywhere else.

“Using Dudley Products is a win-win situation,” said Nichols. “You get quality products plus you’re helping out a black-owned company.”

The Dudleys eventually returned to Greensboro and developed Dudley Cosmetology University (DCU) in Kernersville in 1989, where they offer a General Cosmetology Program and Advanced Training courses for licensed professionals.

“I know a few girls that got their licenses through the Dudley programs,” said Nichols. “They really seem to know their stuff.”The Dudleys have now developed programs in schools located in Zimbabwe, South Africa, Brazil and numerous Caribbean countries. Dudley Products Inc. is now stationed in an 80,000 square foot facility in Kernersville.

• Maria Robertson & Tiffany Mallory