The Family Behind the Shelves | Liverpool Hair and Cosmetics

I might just have secured you a 10% discount at one of Liverpool's biggest hair and cosmetics shops. You're welcome. 😂

When I visited Liverpool Hair and Cosmetics at St John’s Shopping Centre, I met a family so generous that, by the end of our conversation, they had offered 10% off to anyone who came into their shop and mentioned Gems of Liverpool.

But the discount was only a small part of what I walked away with.

Before I met Farooq, I had visited the shop and spoken with his elder brother. He was lovely, but being on camera? No, thank you. His younger brother would be happy to do it, he assured me.

And that was how I met Farooq.

One of the first things he did was apologise for his English.

Meanwhile, the English was perfectly fine!

I found that so endearing, especially because the young man sitting in front of me was part of a family quietly building a business that had grown beyond Liverpool and even beyond the UK.

Three brothers from Pakistan, working together, building together and making a life for themselves thousands of miles from where their story began.

And what a business they've built.

If you've ever walked into Liverpool Hair and Cosmetics, you'll know that the name doesn't quite prepare you for everything inside. Hair products, cosmetics, household essentials, shelves upon shelves of things you probably didn't know you needed until you saw them.

Their business now extends beyond the original shop, with two shops in Liverpool's St Johns Shopping Centre and another in Belgium. Hundreds of women shop with them every week, and the family has ambitions to keep growing.

But one of my favourite things about this conversation wasn't the size of the business.

It was what Farooq said when I asked how he and his brothers had managed to work together successfully for so long.

Unity and love.

Simple words, but not always simple to practise.

He explained that they had learnt to put individual interests aside and work towards what would benefit everyone.

And I thought about that for a moment.

Because working with family is one thing. Building a successful business with family, navigating different personalities, making decisions together and choosing the collective good over personal preferences? That requires something.

Their story also didn't begin with Liverpool.

Before settling here, the brothers had explored other cities. But there was something about Liverpool, particularly how welcoming they found the people, that made staying feel like a natural decision.

Liverpool welcomed them with open arms, and they responded by putting down roots.

Building businesses. Serving customers. Creating a home. Farooq himself has married and built a life here.

And then there are the customers.

At one point, Farouk shared a story about someone coming all the way from Australia to purchase something from their shop.

Australia!

I remember thinking, what exactly is on these shelves that has people travelling across continents? 😂

But beyond the humour, it reminded me that some of the most fascinating businesses in our cities are the ones we walk past without giving much thought to the people behind them.

The people opening the doors every morning.

The families making decisions behind the scenes.

The sacrifices, relationships and quiet determination holding everything together.

I went into Liverpool Hair and Cosmetics expecting a conversation about a shop.

I left thinking about family, migration, humility, enterprise and the possibilities that open up when people find somewhere they are welcomed enough to build.

And perhaps that is one of the most beautiful things about Liverpool.

People arrive from different parts of the world carrying their languages, values, experiences and ambitions. They find a place here, and in the process of building their own lives, they contribute something to the city too.

The brothers found a home in Liverpool.

And Liverpool gained much more than another shop.

It gained a family whose story is now becoming part of its own.

So, the next time you walk through St Johns Shopping Centre, look beyond the shelves. There are some remarkable stories hiding in plain sight.

And yes, if the offer is still running, remember to mention Gems of Liverpool at Liverpool Hair and Cosmetics.

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