About Us
Mattice Hoyt was born in California, but has lived in the Northwest most of her life. She moved to Seattle in 1998 and her husband have lived in Tacoma since 2010. Her husband is a veteran and she is a double amputee as of March 2021 due to cancer. She has been running her store for most of its existence out of a wheelchair. As a black woman and an amputee, owning a business has definitely been a struggle. On top of that, this particular industry has many barriers specifically keeping black people out of it.
Mattice was inspired to start Mattice Beauty Supply from her own experiences in beauty supply stores as a black woman. She worked in corporate America and had to do her hair certain ways that were deemed "professional" so she wore a lot of wigs to cover her own natural hair, meaning she frequented beauty supply stores often. She hated the way she was treated in those stores so her goal is to create a space for women, especially women of color, to feel comfortable, accepted, and respected. She also wants to create a space for creatives and a place for local artisans to have their items.
In running this business, Mattice wants to be the "community aunty" running the cornerstone business. When someone needs something, like a little league team or a non-profit for example, she wants them to know that Mattice Beauty Supply has their back. She wants the community to be stronger because of the small businesses inside of it. For this same reason, Mattice chooses to support so many other small businesses in the community as well.
Through running this business for almost two years, Mattice has learned so much about those around her. She has realized that she is truly in love with her city and the way the people in it take care of each other. She believes that her store has opened up many possibilities for herself, but also for so many in her community. Others have been able to chase their own dreams by hosting classes or doing pop-up stores inside Mattice's building. She has solidified the necessity of this space in the community as she has been complimented on "the vibes" and people feel comfortable coming in and asking questions. Beyond her store, she is very involved in her city. She goes to the city council meetings every week, she participates in things such as Home for All Tacoma, and she is on the board for the YWCA of Pierce County and for the Central Tacoma Community Council.
On top of running her business, Mattice is also a rapper! She likes to rhyme and she likes to sing, but will be the first to admit that she may not win any awards quite yet. She also loves to garden and she participates in Zumba multiple times a week. She is currently learning to walk again with prosthetics and is hoping she can get back to dancing.