Donate to Uplift the Oasis Beauty & Wellness Collective

Support the Oasis Beauty Collective: A Beacon of Resilience and Hope

Dear Friends and Supporters,

Please join me in supporting Neddy, Kiana & Maria as they have unjustly and unexpectedly had their businesses stripped away. Many of you, like me, have been fortunate to experience the exceptional service and care from the talented women at Phenix Salon Suites in Marina del Rey. I am a client of nearly a decade to my beloved esthetician there, Neddy.

On August 3rd, the 30+ women-owned beauty businesses received a devastating notice: all businesses were to vacate within five days! This blindsided eviction from Phenix Salon Suites was not just an enormous business setback but a heartbreaking blow to the community of clients and professionals who had come to rely on this place of beauty and wellness.

How did this happen?

The franchise, Phenix Salon Suites, collected timely rent payments from 30+ businesses/sublessees but failed to forward the rent payments to the landlord, The Marina Marketplace. Thus stealing and pocketing the money. The landlord took the Phenix franchise to court in February 2024, unbeknownst to the business owners. Phenix kept the five-month court battle a secret and continued to pocket rent money without sending it to the landlord. The judge ruled to evict Phenix and forwarded notices that blindsided the business owners/sublessees. The shocking letter led to the unraveling news that the business owners had been kept in the dark about the court battle and that their timely rent payments were stolen.

With a vacate deadline five days away, business owners faced the strenuous decision to cancel existing appointments to be able to empty their suites or honor the appointments at the expense of losing their business supplies, tools, and belongings. Both scenarios causing further damage to the businesses.

How have they responded?

Amid this turmoil, Kiana (Waxing in Harmony), Neddy (Awaken Skincare by Neddy), and Maria (Total Body & Skincare) did not let despair define them nor close their doors permanently. Rather, they garnered their hope, tenacity and creativity to conjure anew: the Oasis Beauty & Wellness Collective.

Oasis will become a retreat for beauty & wellness professionals and clients alike. This new collective aims to uplift and support other business women; ensuring that what happened to them doesn’t happen again. The new space will feature six suites in Culver City; three of which will be available for other women in the industry. Oasis is not just about reopening a business; it’s about cultivating a haven of wellness, harmony, resiliency, transparency and mutual support.

How can we help?!

It is daunting to imagine the unexpected costs of lease and deposit expenses, construction and initial operational costs to create a space in an incredibly short window of time.

Our contribution, big or small, can help ease this extremely stressful transition for the founders, which would enable them to transform their new space into a thriving Oasis. An oasis where they and other professionals can offer their services with pride and peace of mind. Our contributions can support the founders to cultivate a space of peace and wellness from a place of peace and wellness.

This campaign is a gesture of solidarity to these women and belief in their vision. Please consider donating today and sharing their story with your network. Every contribution helps!

Thank you for your kindness and generosity. Together, we can turn this challenging chapter into a triumphant new beginning for Kiana, Neddy, Maria, and the entire beauty and wellness community they support and cherish.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Krysten Gonzalez

A Long-Time Client and Supporter

LINK TO STORY: Argonaut News Article