HOUSTON – HARRIS COUNTY, Texas – A grand opening event at Hair Galleria Beauty Supply in northwest Harris County spiraled out of control Wednesday morning, prompting a shutdown by law enforcement and fire marshals.
What caused the chaos?
Celebrity hairstylist Jonathan Wright, owner of The Write Way, promoted the grand opening on his Instagram — where he has more than 2.3 million followers. He advertised $300 to $400 wigs, giveaways, and even $4,000 in cash for shoppers who arrived within 20 minutes of the post.
The online promotion brought in more than 500 people, many of whom camped out overnight in the parking lot on FM 1960. Some customers told KPRC 2 they waited in line as early as 5 a.m. hoping to grab products priced as low as 1 cent.
But as the crowd continued to grow, things quickly escalated. At some point, authorities say a chemical substance was sprayed into the crowd. Investigators are still working to determine who was responsible.
One person treated, event shut down
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene for reports of a disturbance and heat exhaustion. EMS treated at least one woman at the scene. No arrests have been made.
After the crowd cleared, Harris County Fire Marshals stepped in and cited the owner for multiple violations — including not having the required Certificate of Occupancy or Special Use Permit to host an event of that size.
Officials say the business was not approved for retail operations or public gatherings and did not have any crowd control measures in place.
What happens now?
The store has been ordered to stay closed for at least eight weeks until it can obtain the proper permits and undergo inspections.
Despite that, Wright continued to promote a second grand opening on social media. As of Thursday morning, those posts remained online.
Officials warn the business cannot reopen or host any additional events until it receives official clearance from fire marshals and the county.
No further investigation, for now
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office said there is no ongoing investigation into the chemical spray incident at this time.
Fire marshals say they will continue monitoring the business and will take enforcement action if further violations occur.
