Business owners Shabnam Hubbe and Sally Nasr are quite an unconventional duo.
Joining forces in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic has allowed them to nurture their passions and form a bond as mother and daughter-in-law respectively.
Describing themselves as artisans of beauty and with more than 30 years’ experience between the two of them, they have curated a one of a kind beauty salon in Morningside.
The idea materialised when Nasr moved to South Africa at the beginning of 2020.
“I studied in London and lived there for about three years. Originally I am from Dubai, my fiancé and I needed a place to call home.
When we moved here, my mother-in-law had already started on this little project and asked if I would join. It’s my passion, it’s her passion and it just fits and it worked,” said Nasr.
Hubbe who has a lot of experience in the beauty industry said they have faced many challenges due to Covid-19 but with strong family bonds the business had been successful.
“Firstly, family love is what brought us together, and love is a strong and important thing to maintain. No matter our differences, we overcome them through mutual love and respect. That is also what the Korai brand is about”
The Sandown residents said opening in the midst of Covid-19 had its ups and downs but organically the business grew quite well.
“On hope and prayer, we had clients coming through the door and we are here to stay. We only hope to expand our luxury offering at affordable prices especially during this time,” said Hubbe.
Having moved to Sandton permanently two years ago, Hubbe added that she wanted to get more involved with the community.
“I’m originally from Malawi, I’ve been working in the industry for over 29 years so when we moved here I needed to start something. I did the Sandton housewife thing and it just wasn’t working,” she joked.
With a history in the area, Hubbe wanted the best of both worlds – a little bit of Africa and Europe.
“For me Sandton has always been my go to place not only for the prestige but the safety as well. Now with my business here too, we dream for Korai to be ‘The Place to Be,” she said.
