A woman’s love for head wraps inspired her to make sure every queen’s head is crowned with her product.
Gainesville native Marriette Ellis, owner and founder of Head’n Treasure, said she has been wearing head wraps for about a decade and decided to launch her head wrap business two years ago. Ellis said she is thankful her cousins helped her come up with the name of her business.
“I wanted the name to be original and depict what we would represent,” Ellis said. “One day, two of my cousins and I had a conference call. I told them I needed assistance with coming up with a name for the business. They did not hesitate to help. I gave them my ideas, they shared theirs and we put our ideas together. This is how the name Head’n Treasure was birthed.”
She said head wraps have been and will always be the foundation of her business.
“Head wraps provide fashionable convenience because the innate royalty it offers as we adorn ourselves with different, textured and colored fabrics,” Ellis said. “As our business has grown, we have expanded into offering more than head wraps to include products for the entire family.”
Head’n Treasure offers a variety of head wraps, accessories and cultural apparel with prices ranging from $10 and above.
Head wraps and fashion are great ways to express oneself, Ellis said.
“Fashion allows people to meet a portion of who we are without having to always say who we are,” Ellis said. “It gives us the opportunity to express our creativeness and sense of style while having fun doing it.”
Ellis said her business is a one-stop-shop for customers to add to their fashion collection.
“When people wear our products, we want them to feel and look like royalty,” Ellis said. “We are all beautiful and sometimes we need to be reminded – let your beauty shine through.”
Nicole Miller, founder of Blossoming Butterfly, is a friend of Ellis’ and helps cancer survivors through her non-profit organization.
Miller said fashion is a great way for women to feel special and her purchase of shirts and accessories from Head’n Treasure helps with that process.
“A woman can express herself through fashion,” Miller said. “It’s a way to make you feel extra beautiful on a day that you may not feel your best.”
Supporting small businesses helps them become successful, Miller said.
“It’s important to support small businesses so they can continue to grow,” Miller said. “The quality of her items are amazing and every chance I get I shop with her. She is very consistent and her customer service is amazing.”
To keep her business going, Ellis said she focuses on the three P’s – prayer, patience and proactiveness.
“I’m prayerful about each decision that is made regarding Head’n Treasure,” Ellis said. “Nothing happens suddenly all the time. Timing is everything. Be patient, but work while you wait and be proactive.”
Kandra Albury, a Head’n Treasure customer and co-founder of MTE Publishing, said she has purchased earrings from Head’n Treasure multiple times for herself and relatives.
Albury found out about the business on Facebook through a mutual friend to years ago and has been a customer ever since.
“Her products are so unique,” Albury said. “Her customer service is amazing and she genuinely connects with her clientele. She embodies and exudes what it takes to be in the marketplace and has the qualities to be able to thrive.”
Albury said supporting Black-owned businesses helps the community.
“When you buy from Black women. you not only support the woman individually, you support the community,” Albury said.
Ellis said she is looking forward to expanding her business by obtaining a brick and mortar building, and creating jobs for others in the locally and nationwide.
“There’s much more I desire to do and places I’d love for Head’n Treasure to go,” Ellis said. “We are growing.”
Head’n Treasure is preparing to celebrate two years in business in the fall.
“God is the driving force behind Head’n Treasure along with our amazing customers and our wonderful team,” Ellis said. “I could never do this alone. I’m grateful for the support we’ve had and even more grateful for the support we continue to receive. We celebrate the rarest of gems – you.”