2718 Rock Quarry Rd Suite 102, Raleigh North Carolina 27610
I’m going to tell you a story—not just about my hair journey as a man growing his hair out for the first time in 20 years, but about a place that changed the game for me.
I’m 39 years old, with 4C/4CC short hair. For most of my life, my hair was never part of my aesthetic. My bald look carried its own power—clean, direct, unapologetic. And still, over the last three or four years, I kept envisioning myself with hair.
Every time I tried to grow it, something disrupted the process. Bad consultations. Stylists not honoring what I asked for. Or pressure—subtle and not so subtle—from people who thought I looked “better” without it. So I’d cut it. Again and again.
But this time, I stayed with it.
Now, I’m approaching a year of growth—and reaching the length where cornrows became possible. That was the goal. And hitting that point felt like something real.
What didn’t feel real was the experience trying to maintain it.
The commentary. The hesitation. The lack of care.
Stylists who wouldn’t touch my hair—or did so with visible discomfort. Like they were handling something difficult instead of something valuable. Even when they did blow it out, they never got the length I could achieve on my own.
This past weekend was more of the same. One place to another—disappointment, subtle disrespect, and the quiet erosion of something I’ve been building for a year.
Until I made a decision:
My hair is mine. This journey doesn’t stop because other people can’t meet me where I am.
So I went deeper in my search.
Sunday morning, just after 8:30 AM, I saw that Braids & Locs by Awa LLC was open. I called. Asked if she had availability, explained my hair, and asked if she was willing to work with my length.
She was clear. Professional. Direct. We set it.
At 1 PM, I walked into a space that immediately felt different.
High ceilings. Sage-colored walls. Black leather with gold accents. Clean, intentional, calm.
And then there was Awa—welcoming, grounded, and genuinely joyful about her work.
She didn’t hesitate with my hair.
She respected it.
She shampooed my scalp, deep conditioned it, and when she rinsed it out, she gave a double massage before conditioning it again. There was care in every step—not rushed, not performative, just real attention.
Her familiarity with braids and locs showed immediately. No confusion. No doubt. Just hands that knew what they were doing.
And the result? By 3:45pm I had the cleanest, sharpest cornrows I’ve ever had at this length.
But more than that—she saw me. She heard me. And she worked with me.
That alone made this the best hair care experience I’ve had in Raleigh.
And for the first time in this process, I feel like my hair has a home. Thank you Awa!