WashU Student Launches Textured-Hair Care Vending Machine
Zariah Taylor, a student at Washington University in St. Louis, launched TheHairVault, a vending machine offering hair care products for textured hair on campus, with guidance from mentor Tam King-Krolik.
St. Louis, MO, October 28, 2026 —
A Washington University in St. Louis student has launched an on-campus vending machine offering hair care products for textured hair. The project, called TheHairVault, was launched by Zariah Taylor with guidance from mentor Tam King-Krolik.
The available information identifies the machine’s product focus and its campus setting, but does not specify what products it carries, where on campus it is located or when it began operating. Details about how the venture was developed, its funding and the university’s role were not provided.
The launch places TheHairVault among services presented on campus, though no information was provided about its hours, pricing, payment options or how students access it. The number of machines and whether the project plans to expand were also not stated.
Taylor’s relationship to Washington University in St. Louis is identified as that of a student. King-Krolik is identified as a mentor who provided guidance; further details about the mentorship or either person’s comments on the launch were not included in the information available.
TheHairVault’s stated offering is hair care products for textured hair. No additional information was provided about the range of products, the intended customer base beyond the campus setting, or the response from students. Those details remain unspecified.
Story summarized from the original created by Danny Osborn on www.stlpr.org, see more information here.
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