• Metro Detroit’s first facial bar and spa expanding to Corktown; second location to serve as brand’s flagship and educational hub
• Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC) helping more Detroit businesses open in 2021; 129 brick-and-mortars opened since Motor City Match began
• Motor City Match (MCM) Round 14 $30,000 cash grant awardee
• Spa and educational hub among several Black- and woman-owned businesses receiving support from MCM, City of Detroit, DEGC

DETROIT – Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and DEGC President and CEO Kevin Johnson joined Jessie Hayes-Stallings, Skinphorea Founder and CEO, and Shareese Shorter, Skinphorea Co-Owner and Director of Operations, to celebrate the grand opening of the premier facial bar, spa and educational hub today.

“Jessie and Shareese created Skinphorea to redefine their industry and offer a place where everyone is welcome,” said Mayor Duggan. “This Motor City Match business is a wonderful addition to the growing commercial district in Corktown. We are proud of Jessie and Shareese for chasing their dreams and choosing Detroit to expand their business and provide education for Detroit residents to expand their careers.”

With a goal of redefining how skincare is approached, Hayes-Stallings and Shorter originally formed Skinphorea as an online business in 2014. They chose to merge quality care with a signature happy hour feel when they opened their first location in Royal Oak in 2016. Their innovative concept allowed them to create Metro Detroit’s first results-driven, high-concept facial bar. The brand holds a vision to fulfill the skincare needs of both women and men who desire practical pampering, while highlighting an educational component.

Along with offering various spa-like amenities and services, the company’s Detroit location will serve as the brand’s flagship as well as the home base for its apprenticeship program, Skinphorea University. Created in 2016 around the time of its first location’s opening, the program partners with the State of Michigan to provide esthetician licensing for emerging skincare professionals.

“We are so excited and grateful for the opportunity to expand in the beautiful city of Detroit,” said Hayes-Stalling. “We can’t wait to help educate Detroiters on skincare, whether they’re learning how to take care of their own skin or attending Skinphorea University to kickstart their careers.”

The 4,000 sq.-ft Corktown location will offer various skin services, such as an acne clinic and laser hair removal, as well as beauty products and a signature happy hour feel to help clients relax and unwind. Hayes-Stalling and Shorter plan to hire 22 employees for the new space, including managerial and esthetician positions.

Hayes-Stalling and Shorter say they thank MCM for providing access to funding and serving as a strategic partner to grow and develop Skinphorea’s flagship location. They received a MCM Round 14 cash grant of $30,000. Skinphorea is located near several open MCM-supported businesses, including Plum Health Direct Primary Care, Batch Brewing Company, Michigan & Trumbull, and Mama Coo’s Boutique.

Skiniphorea is one of 129 open brick-and-mortar Motor City Match businesses that have received support from the program. Of those businesses, 81 percent are minority-owned, 71 percent are women-owned and 64 percent are owned by Detroit residents. The program continues to have a large and positive impact on Detroit’s small business community, including:

• Roughly 15 more MCM businesses are expected to open in 2021
• Around 1,000 jobs have been created as a result of open MCM businesses
• $9.5M has been awarded in cash grants through MCM and Motor City Re-Store, which has leveraged $44.1M in additional investment into Detroit’s neighborhoods
• Nearly 300 additional home-based and mobile businesses have started or expanded with the help of Motor City Match

“Motor City Match continues to have a tremendous impact on Detroit,” said Johnson. “More Detroiters are on a path to economic mobility, have been given a chance to pursue their passions, and have access to goods and services in their neighborhoods because of this program. Today, we are creating an even stronger MCM program to support Detroit’s small business community – the heartbeat of our City.”

Skinphorea is located at 1620 Michigan Ave. and is now accepting appointments online at vagaro.com/skinphoreacorktown/book-now.

About Motor City Match
Motor City Match is a unique partnership between the City of Detroit, the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC), the Economic Development Corporation of the City of Detroit (EDC) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Competitive financial assistance is supported by a broad partnership of Southeast Michigan community development financial institutions and corporations. Detroit Economic Growth Corporation is a non-profit organization that serves as the lead implementing agency for business retention, attraction and economic development initiatives in Detroit.

###