Exotic dancewear company makes masks to help stop spread of COVID 19

HOUSTON - Exotic dancers are having to take a seat during the coronavirus lockdown, and that's leaving one local business owner looking for another source of income.

Jazz Walker was once a waitress at a gentlemen's club before becoming a stylist for exotic dancers and making her own designs. Since then, she's also expanded into creating spicy restaurant uniforms and more.

But with clubs closed, she’s had to furlough her team of seamstresses.

“I was really scared more for them than myself. I need to help them provide for their families,” says Walker. “They depend on me right now, and I have to come through.”

The mother of a toddler and newborn wasn’t ready to close up shop, so she started working with a Houston entrepreneur who was having trouble getting masks from China.

After testing designs, she was able to make them in her shop on Winrock Blvd., mostly using material she already had in stock.

“This is a cotton mask made out of stretchy material,” says Walker showing off her inventory. “It’s not as hot as some of the other fabrics I’ve seen, and then we put in a little filter pocket.”

Her company makes the disposable filters for the machine-washable masks along with disposable masks she says can be worn a couple of times before discarding.

With her materials, a pattern for racy waitress wear is now protective gear, and the print for a sexy one-piece is helping to keep her clients safe.

The Beauty Cave Boutique also has a new clientele list which includes churches, outreach organizations and other essential workers.

Walker is also getting enough orders to bring back her team without cutting their hours. She says she has learned a new lesson about being a business owner through this experience. “You have to be innovative, kind of just take whatever God puts in your lap and just go with it,” she says.

To find her masks (and maybe something to spice up your quarantine), visit her website.