Her hands may move quickly, but the hairstyles Alize Berary creates take time.

“She’s going to be getting knotless box braids. Knotless box braids is a versatile hairstyle where you can put your hair up, down, or protect it from damaging,” says Alize Berary, owner of The Hair Bar.

The braids can take anywhere from 2-10 hours, depending on what the customer wants.

Almost a year ago, Berary opened The Hair Bar in Middletown, one of the few hair salons in the area that specializes in Black hair and braiding.

“I started because I’ve seen that there is a lack of ethnic hair salons in the community, so I really wanted to make a change and make a difference by providing services that African American men and women need,” Berary said.

Customer Makayla Watson says not everyone does braids correctly. She noted that she goes to the Hair Bar because Berary not only braids her hair, but also teaches her the right way to care for it.

“Educate us about our scalp and telling us where to go, who to talk to, especially a dermatologist, and Alize guided me in the right direction for that,” Watson said.

Berary hopes to eventually open her own natural hair beauty school.