At the corner of Crown Heights and Bed-Stuy, wellness looks like a curated retail shelf, a spiced ground rib-eye burger, and the sweet silence of a private facial. For over a decade, Nilea Alexander has built that vision — first with Café Rue Dix, then Marché Rue Dix, and now, with a space for full-service beauty and wellness services.
“It wasn’t so much about what I was going to be doing when I opened,” she said, “as much as what I was going to be providing. I knew I wanted to provide an environment — a community environment — something that was really cool.” The goal was to create a space rooted in Brooklyn, shaped by culture, and built for people of color — where good vibes and good service weren’t mutually exclusive. A place where everyone is welcome, and Black folks can feel cared for without having to explain themselves.
Over the years, the vision expanded — naturally. From vintage clothes to personal care products to nail services and facials, each addition was driven by both creativity and community need. During the pandemic, while many businesses shuttered, Nilea pivoted. “Adaptability is what I’ll say was our savior,” she said. “The moment they said, ‘Oh, you can eat outside,’ people were building pickup windows. You had to move really fast. And that’s kind of what we did.”
Photo by Bertram Knight.
Nilea knows her shop has something for everyone — from skincare to vintage belts to housewares — but when she expanded into wellness services, she had a specific customer in mind. “She wants good quality service. She doesn’t want to have to compromise on good quality service because she’s in her neighborhood,” Nilea said.
That clarity shaped the way she built out her spa and salon: professional, beautiful and rooted in the community it serves. No shortcuts. No watered-down experience. Just care, done right.
For herself, Nilea describes wellness as about intentionality and presence. “Wellness is the act of choosing to care for yourself,” she said. That might mean doing her full skincare routine after a long day, carving out ten minutes to move her body, or — ideally — getting her hair shampooed and then enjoying a spiced ground rib-eye burger in a private salon suite. “Food is my communication. It’s my love language. It’s my wellness.”
But it’s not just about services — it’s about being seen. “Black people, you found you. Welcome home,” Nilea said. In a city where luxury often comes with a side of erasure, her space insists on comfort without code-switching. To walk in, be greeted by someone who understands your lived experience, and not have to explain your skin, your hair, or your presence — that’s a form of wellness too. Belonging, Nilea reminds us, is a basic need. And at Marché Rue Dix, it’s built into the atmosphere.
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