Nappily Naturals: A Leimert Park Staple
Nappily Naturals, Leimert Park’s shop for all things holistic health, has substantially grown since the pandemic.
Husband and wife, Umaar Askia and Sharon Williams-Askia, founded the store in 2018.
The lack of access to natural healing products in the Black community inspired the couple to be the change they wanted to see.
Sharon Williams-Askia, says business during the pandemic has been very telling. “People are more into their health now and focusing on how to heal naturally, “ she said.
The shift in popularity from allopathic medicine to holistic healing has boosted their sales and engagement from customers all over the country.
Implementing online ordering to their website has gifted out-of-state customers the opportunity to purchase their many products for health and wellness. While online ordering was available before the pandemic, the store saw an increase once the coronavirus struck. In addition to online ordering, customers can also have some of their favorite products delivered the same day through the Ubereats app.
Williams-Askia attributes their success regarding the adaption of technology to their younger staff, as the business has also gained a large following on social media which they didn’t have when they first opened shop. Their use of social media and marketing has gained the attention of thousands. The store now has a following of over 20,000 users on Instagram.
Assam Burroughs has been a loyal customer since the start of the pandemic. Burroughs shares that he prefers to come and shop in-store because of the unique experience. “When you walk in, you just fall in love…nothing beats the in-store experience, but I do appreciate the convenience of online shopping when I can’t make it in,” he said.
Throughout the pandemic, local customers have continued to shop in-store for the experience.
“A lot of my customers that are online are out of state…if they live here, they’re coming here.” Williams-Askia said.
The store currently operates under their Covid-19 hours from 1 pm-6 pm Tuesday-Friday, and 10:30 am-6 pm on Sundays. Safety protocols such as social distancing and frequent sanitizing are still implemented for a safe in-store shopping experience.
