Since 1992, Renee Quarles considers her brand Shades of Afrika, a cultural center and a safe zone. Shades of Afrika sells natural grooming products, holistic products, and educational books.
“My sister named it and the K really mattered to us,” Renee Quarles said. “We didn’t want Africa with a C, we wanted to give it back its original spelling.”
The grooming products on the shelves are pre-fixed by raw, organic, or natural. Essential oils are stored in small amber tinted glass bottles, protecting the oils while the home aroma burning oils are stored in larger clear plastic jugs. The homemade labels on both types of containers indicate these are not mass-produced products.
Quarles imports many items from her global network of distributors, like wood carved afro picks and walking sticks from Ghana and authentic Egyptian papyrus paintings. These items are imported from distributors Quarles has met throughout her travels.
Quarles is always seeking opportunities to help her community and she does so by stocking items provided by local artisans. Her nephew who grew up helping her make products now helps run the store.
“I’ve always helped and some of the stuff was my creation,” said Desta, Quarles’ nephew. “I would always roll incense and shea butter balls.”
When stocking her bookstore, Quarles looks to Afrikan World Books, the largest black owned book distributor. Books from prominent Black scholars like Henry Louise Gates, Jr, to the autobiographies of Black revolutionaries like Assata Shakur and Huey P. Newton, the book section of the store is meant to educate readers on Black history. For younger readers, the store stocks children’s books such as “Little Legends: Exceptional Black men in Black History” by Vashti Harrison and “Bright Eyes, Brown Skin,” by Cheryl Hudson.
“Because we’ve had so many damages to the history being taught, we are working hard to untell those lies,” Quarles said. “There are a lot of things that are misconceptions in our history being taught to us in a classroom.”
Aside from selling books, Shades of Afrika also hosts peer discussions and lectures. Although Covid-19 has halted these educational outreach programs, Quarles spoke proudly of the renowned black scholars such as Asa Grant Hilliard III and Claude Anderson who have spoken at her store.
Quarles opened her store front in 1994 at 3rd and Elm but today Shades of Afrika is located about a half-mile away at 1001 E 4th St, Long Beach. Quarles is outspoken about the reason for the move.
“Gentrified, let’s not be afraid to call it what it is,” Quarles said. “For me gentrification means that you toss the people up in business and to land on their feet they must go somewhere around the corner and lease from another developer.”
After learning the laws around gentrification, Quarles engaged in a seven-year-long fight with the city. Refusing to settle, she fought while saving money and was able to relocate to her current location where she owns the building rather than leasing it, something Quarles believes is important in the fight against gentrification.
After relocating, Quarles opened a hair salon next door. Due to Covid-19 the stylist working the salon can only take appointments and not walk-ins. Quarles’ sister Imani Quarles, has also opened her own Shades of Afrika location in Corona. Next, Quarles has set her sights on entering the food business with plans of opening a vegan Ethiopian soul food restaurant.
