On Astoria Boulevard in East Elmhurst, this boutique has gained their reputation 0f being a neighborhood gem. Fabulous Freddy’s is a one stop shop where you can get all of your essentials. You’ll find products for skin, hair, make up, hair tools oh and we can’t forget that the men have their grooming products here as well.

At the age of 24, Janice Fredericks and her husband Clifford Spell wanted to have a store to call their own. They came across business advisors from free business resources such as Queens Economic Development Center, SBA of queens and as well as SCORE.

These companies are non-profit organizations that will help you start, prepare and grow within your business. Alongside of having saved some money of her own the entire process to have the store up and running was within a year.

It was more than just becoming a boss in the eyes of Fredericks, she wanted to give back to the community, in particular to women of color.

“I wanted to open a boutique that give women conversation and comfort during their shopping experience”

The location was ideal for her especially since she lives within the neighborhood and saw that in order to find a beauty supply that she had in mind was nowhere near to begin with. Fabulous Freddy’s has been around for seven 

years, by the end of 2018 a new location will be available in Brooklyn.

Ingrid Martinez, a loyal local customer described her shopping experience to being genuine and refreshing.

“Being able to ask questions about products and look for suggestions and help is important for a woman. I like knowing I’m not just a dollar sign, my needs actually matter coming to this boutique”

Hard work does not go unnoticed especially when a shopper feels welcome, appreciated and genuinely making connections. This goes to show that a dream can be a reality and open more doors and opportunities than you imagined.

Fabulous Freddy’s name was chosen by Janice’s sister, “So funny our last name is Fredericks, a lot of people call us “Freddy”. So there it was she mentioned Fabulous Freddy’s and I loved it. It’s like femininity meets masculinity”.

Fredericks mentioned “Now I can travel with my family and still make money, being able to actually own my time and not report to anyone is the highlight of it all”. Although being an entrepreneur has its perks there are also some challenges to keep in mind. The biggest challenge she has encountered is “Realizing it is a two-man job, you get support from family and friends but at the end of it all the viability of the business relies solely on you. That’s a lot of pressure, it’s worth the stress though”.

As we know it, many entrepreneurs deserve more credit than they are given. Plenty of long hours, dedication and creativity that comes to play to make sure you keep climbing the success ladder.

A quick suggestion from Fredericks to all the future entrepreneurs

“Make sure this is what you want to do. Entrepreneurship is such a fad these days. There are a lot of people who don’t truly belong in this space (sounds harsh) but truly make sure this is what you want. Also make sure your discipline is sick. Do not let anyone out work you, stay ahead of trends in your industry and move in silence.”