durham inc.
THE 15-YEAR CLUB
W E A R E N ’ T T H E O N LY O N E S C E L E B R AT I N G 1 5 Y E A R S I N B U S I N E S S BY J A M E S D U P R E E | P H O T O G R A P H Y BY J O H N M I C H A E L S I M P S O N
urham Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Geoff Durham said it best: “Durham [has been] a great place to do business for a long time. … [It’s] home to a variety of sectors that are succeeding, growing, innovating and supporting one another.” In spite of the past few years of hardship, our city’s independent business climate is flourishing. For this special anniversary issue, we wanted to check in with a few other enterprises that also turn 15 this year, from a favorite Italian restaurant in the heart of downtown, to one of the top performing arts organizations in the country.
TURNING HEADS
The Lather Lounge salon sits in an unassuming white building near the corner of Hillsborough Road and Lawndale Avenue. Founder Maggie Lewis, born and bred in Durham, has had an interest in hair styling since she was a child. As a teenager, she worked as an assistant to hairstylist Miko Pierson – who now works at Salon Lofts downtown – before enrolling at Carolina Beauty College in 2008. She completed her education that same year, and shortly after, Lewis’ husband, Kazlo Lewis, and her father, Sylvester Smith, encouraged her to open her own salon. In order to stay close to her roots, Lewis launched in Durham. The best part about working in her hometown, Lewis said, is “I get to see my work flowing, growing and blowing [around the] Bull City.” The Lather Lounge has steadily grown from Day One, and Lewis’ client list includes members from local and national news and radio stations to one of her most famous clients, Loretta Lynch, our country’s first female African American attorney general. “It was great,” Lewis said. “[Lynch] had Secret Service with her each time. I’ve been her cosmetologist for years now.” Salons and barbershops across the country suffered through the pandemic, but Lewis was quick to overcome
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the odds. “I adapted right away with no problem,” she said. “Time management and cleanliness were already in place. All I had to do was add masks and Lysol.” Lewis still offers one-on-one appointments and virtual consultations to clients who prefer to limit contact with others. Her keys to success, Lewis said, are “communication, confidence and character. Set goals, brand your business and don’t give up.”
GREEN MEETS GLAM
The Lather Lounge owner Maggie Lewis styles the hair of longtime customer and friend Sheba Everett.
F E B R UA RY/ M A R C H 2 0 2 3
Founded by Ryan Hurley and Nadira Hurley, downtown boutique Vert & Vogue promotes clothing made using ethically sourced natural fabrics from independent designers. At the tail end of 2001, while living in London and working in the trade publishing industry, Ryan made a weekend trip to Paris to visit the Musée Picasso. But he never made it, as he first walked into a men’s clothing store where Nadira emerged from behind a curtain, and within moments had Ryan trying on clothes. Nadira says she was not one for dating clients, but after a few more visits to the store and with a little charm, Ryan convinced her to go on a first date. Sparks flew, and a little less than a year later, the two were married and living in New Jersey. In 2007, the couple found themselves yearning for something more. “I came from a long line of small business owners, and I wanted to have my own business,” Ryan said. “At the same time, Nadira had reinspired my love of clothing and style. We also discovered some designers who were dedicated to creating collections that were more sustainable.” While trying to find a way to bring their idea of an environmentally friendly boutique into reality, the couple visited Durham, a city talked about highly in their