A beloved Bay of Quinte (and beyond) business will be taking a break in January 2026.
XXL Scrunchie & Co., a hair accessory shop founded by Tina Nguyen, will be pressing pause in the new year.
Stated on the XXL Scrunchie & Co. website, Nguyen says the U.S. tariffs have greatly impacted running a small business.
“Earlier this year, when the U.S. tariffs came into effect, I stopped buying new fabrics and planned out new future products and launches,” the website said.
“With 50% of our sales coming from the U.S., the new tariffs hit us hard. We’ll still ship orders next year if they come in of our current inventory, but once things sell out, they won’t be restocked.”
Nguyen says she has been feeling stuck, burnt out, and disconnected from who she is as a person.
“Who I am as a person has changed so much since I started this business and so have the things I want,” she said.
“XXL Scrunchie will always be part of my story. But right now, it’s time for a break and have space to figure out what’s next.”
Nguyen said one of the most fulfilling things along her journey was helping others with business and marketing tips.
“I’ve shared business and marketing tips for years, and it’s helped more people than I ever imagined. With this pause, I might finally have time to offer 1:1 sessions and support others more intentionally, instead of just pointing them to my YouTube channel for advice.”
Every package, label, and tag was designed by Nguyen. She says she’s always been an artist first and is excited to get back into painting murals again.
“I’m excited to get back into painting and to create without feeling guilty for not working on something ‘for work’,” she stated.
“Being a mural artist was what I was trying to pursue full-time before XXL Scrunchie took off, and I’m finding my way back to that part of myself that I put on pause in 2019.”
Nguyen insists that this is not a goodbye, but a pause. She says she will share everything she discovers during this time with her followers and customers and hopes they will stick around for what comes next, and she thanks everyone for their support over the last almost six years.
In November 2023, XXL Scrunchie & Co. was pitched on Season 18, Episode 9 of Dragon’s Den and was aired nationwide, where it received three offers. Nguyen accepted an offer from Manjit Minhas of $500,000 for 30%.
Visit this link to shop XXL Scrunchie & Co. products while supplies last. There is a current buy one, get one free on all hair scrunchies and hair claws.
Click here to view XXL Scrunchie & Co.’s YouTube channel.
