From Salon to Shell: How a Mother-Daughter Duo Built Florida's First Black-Owned Shell Gas Station

When the COVID-19 pandemic forced Lashawn Flowers and her daughter Shanita Vickers to close their nightclub in Hollywood, Florida, most entrepreneurs would have seen only loss. But this mother-daughter team saw opportunity—and in just three weeks, they made history by opening Florida's first Black-owned Shell gas station.

Their story is more than a business success. It is a testament to the power of family, the resilience of Black entrepreneurship, and the kind of economic self-determination that the Ministry of Yamasee Affairs champions every day.

The Power of the Pivot

Lashawn Flowers, 51, and her daughter Shanita Vickers, 35, both grew up in Deerfield Beach, Florida, where they learned early that survival requires adaptability. Before entering the gas station industry, they built their entrepreneurial foundation through two successful ventures: Girlz Collectionz, a local hair and nail salon, and Groove City Bar & Lounge, a nightclub that became a community gathering space.

When the pandemic shuttered their nightclub in 2020, they refused to accept defeat. Instead, they pivoted—and they pivoted big. Within three weeks of deciding to enter the gas station business, they had completed credit applications, proven their financial capital, and closed a deal on not one, but two Shell gas stations. They negotiated a two-for-one franchise agreement, demonstrating the kind of strategic thinking that turns setbacks into breakthroughs.

"We actually purchased two Shell gas stations," Lashawn explained in a 2020 interview with Black Enterprise. "We were able to negotiate a two-for-one deal."

Their first location opened at 2501 North University Drive in Hollywood, Florida, making them the owners of the only Black-owned gas station in Hollywood—and possibly the only Black-owned Shell franchise in all of South Florida.

Family as Foundation

For Lashawn, the decision to partner with her daughter was never in question. "I really value having a family-owned business because family is who you can trust," she said. "My daughter, Shanita, is a wonderful mom of two beautiful children and also a phenomenal entrepreneur who is awesome to work with. We work well together because we understand each other."

This philosophy mirrors the values at the heart of the Ministry of Yamasee Affairs: that true sovereignty begins with family, that economic power is built through kinship networks, and that the strongest businesses are those rooted in trust and shared purpose.

Shanita, a mother of two, balances her roles as entrepreneur, parent, and business partner with grace. Together, mother and daughter embody the kind of intergenerational wealth-building that has historically been denied to Black and Indigenous communities through systemic exclusion, land theft, and economic marginalization.

The Work Ethic That Wins

Lashawn Flowers does not believe in failure. "I don't believe in failing in anything I do," she stated. "If you don't work your business, it won't be a success. You absolutely must put in the hard work."

That work ethic paid off immediately. Within weeks of opening, their story went viral on social media, earning shout-outs from radio personality Rickey Smiley and sparking a massive influx of new customers. In January 2026, their story resurfaced and went viral again, inspiring a new generation of entrepreneurs and reminding the world that Black women are not waiting for permission to build wealth—they are seizing it.

Why This Matters to the Ministry of Yamasee Affairs

The Ministry of Yamasee Affairs celebrates Lashawn Flowers and Shanita Vickers because their story is our story. It is the story of people who were told they could not own land, could not build businesses, could not pass wealth to their children—and who did it anyway.

For centuries, Yamasee people and other Indigenous communities in Florida were systematically excluded from economic participation. Land was stolen. Businesses were denied capital. Families were reclassified, erased, and pushed to the margins. The same systems that dispossessed Indigenous people also targeted Black communities, creating overlapping histories of resistance and resilience.

When Lashawn and Shanita opened their Shell gas stations, they did more than sell fuel. They reclaimed economic power. They created jobs. They built generational wealth. They proved that Black and Indigenous entrepreneurship is not a favor granted by the system—it is a right, a tradition, and a form of reparations in action.

The Road Ahead

Lashawn and Shanita planned to open their second Shell gas station in West Palm Beach in early 2021, expanding their footprint and their impact. Their success demonstrates what becomes possible when families refuse to accept economic exclusion, when women lead with vision and determination, and when communities rally to support Black-owned businesses.

The Ministry of Yamasee Affairs stands with entrepreneurs like Lashawn Flowers and Shanita Vickers. We honor their courage, celebrate their success, and recognize their work as part of a larger movement toward economic sovereignty, self-determination, and justice.

How You Can Support

1. Visit their gas station at 2501 North University Drive, Hollywood, FL 33034
2. Share their story on social media to amplify Black-owned businesses
3. Support family-owned enterprises in your own community
4. Advocate for policies that expand access to capital for Black and Indigenous entrepreneurs

Lashawn Flowers and Shanita Vickers did not wait for the system to change. They changed it themselves. And in doing so, they lit a fire that will fuel generations to come.

Sources:

• Black Enterprise: https://www.blackenterprise.com/mom-and-daughter-make-history-open-black-owned-shell-gas-station-in-florida/
• Travel Noire: https://travelnoire.com/first-black-owned-shell-gas-station-in-florida
• AfroTech: https://afrotech.com/mom-daughter-duo-makes-history-opens-black-owned-gas-station-in-florida