CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — A Clayton County salon owner, Khalilah Few, is suing the county after her permit to open Creative Crown Collective was denied due to “oversaturation” of salons in the area.
“I really think that them not overturning it would change the trajectory of my life,” Few told Channel 2 investigative reporter Ashli Lincoln.
Instead of planning a grand opening, Few is preparing for litigation.
Few had invested nearly $40,000 in renovations for the salon space she purchased in March, only to have her permit denied by county commissioners.
She claims that throughout the county’s five-step process, there was no indication that her application might be rejected.
“I felt like devastation, heartbreak,” Few said, expressing her shock at the decision. Her attorney, Jessica Bigbie from the Institute for Justice, argues that the county’s decision violates Few’s constitutional rights.
During the commission meeting, it was explained that the denial was due to the location being in an area considered oversaturated with similar businesses.
“I asked questions, I asked what would be the reason some applications could be denied,” Few said.
She says she was shocked at the final hearing when a commissioner explained, “Unfortunately, this is just in the wrong area, and we’ve got to begin to grow Clayton County smartly.”
A nearby shopping plaza reportedly has three salons and barber shops.
Bigbie plans to file a preliminary injunction to allow Few to open her salon while the lawsuit is pending.
“We do anticipate filing a preliminary injunction, essentially asking the court to let Khalilah open her salon while this lawsuit is pending,” she said.
Bigbie says the property sits in a business overlay district where the county envisions a trendy, mixed-use hub.
She criticized the county’s decision, stating, “What this boils down to is the government stepping in and picking winners and losers in business — and that’s not how the process should work. That power should belong to the customers.”
Few presented evidence at the meeting showing her other salon location in McDonough earned over $600,000 in three years, along with letters from customers supporting her new venture.
Lincoln reached out to the Clayton County Commissioners for comment but hasn’t heard back from them.
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