By STAFF – Hair stylist Judith Maya loves the community and the many residents who have been supporting her Long Branch salon for 24 years through good times and bad.

Maya, the owner of MJ Hair Design, at 3335 Lake Shore Blvd., W., has had her doors shut to customers for about six months due to public health shutdowns and government restrictions due to COVID-19.

“It has been very tough,” Maya admits. “I would have had to shut down a long time ago if it wasn’t for my regular customers who kept me afloat during the hard times.”

She, and other area businesses, cannot wait until they can legally reopen for customers.

The ingenious and no-nonsense businesswoman had to pivot to her first-love, tea making, to keep the lights on at her store.

She also sells beautiful arts, crafts, cosmetic, gift baskets and other goods on consignment for four talented local women, who work from their homes.

“We are strong women and we support each other,” Mays says. “I help them and they help me and we all succeed.”

She was taken back that people love her line of organic, loose leaf Purple Connection Teas that sell very well for $10 a bag online on her website, where they can be ordered.

She always loved tea and enjoys working with the different leaves and flavours.

“This is top-of-the-line Grade A organic tea that people love,” Maya explains. “People can buy two bags and we ship for free. It is a good product that is very popular.”

She makes 30 types of teas; which includes 16 flavoured teas and 14 wellness teas.

Customers seems to like her flavourful Nutty Apple Maple, which is described as ‘Canadiana in a cup,” Earl Grey, caffeine free, vanilla and even, Slumberjack, a tea brewed for men.

There are others to help you stay calm, help your skin and inner beauty and women’s wellness.

Maya says her business was booming before COVID-19, during which she had to lay off two people when she shut her doors.
She knows most residents and their families after serving the community for 24 years.

“The people are great around here,” she says. “We all know each other and support each other.”

The Mexican born stylist arrived in Canada as a teenager will little English speaking skills almost 20 years ago. She managed to work her way up to have her own salon.

“I am worried now about all the businesses that have closed, or are closing, due to COVID,” she says, “It is never good for a community when you lose any business.”

MJ Hair Design can be reached at 416-259-7992 or orders placed on purpleconnectionteas.ca or email info@purpleconnectionteas.ca