BUSINESS PARTNERS: Becky and Tisha Goodwin. Photo by Sean Meyers, for the Salisbury Post

Synthetic wigs at Becky's Hair Solution in China Grove. Photo by Sean Meyers, for the Salisbury Post

PERFECT FIT: Becky Sifford styles a wig for Angie Mooney of Salisbury. Photo by Sean Meyers, for the Salisbury Post

By Susan Shinn

sshinn@salisburypost.com

CHINA GROVE — In this town, Becky Sifford is probably best known for two things: her awesome skill as a hairdresser and her mega-watt smile.

But, bless her heart, Becky tears up when she talks about her new business she's preparing to open officially next week."I'm just so overwhelmed," she says, smiling through the tears.

Becky's Hair Solutions will open Wednesday in downtown China Grove at 113 S. Main St. Hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday-Friday and other times by appointment.

Becky, 50, is offering wigs that are high-quality but reasonably priced, along with hats and turbans. Her clients are mainly cancer patients, but also women who are affected by hair loss and women who simply love wearing wigs.

Her business partner in this new venture is Tisha Goodwin, 47, a longtime volunteer with the American Cancer Society's Look Good Feel Better program.

The two met through that program and have worked together the past several years through Relay for Life.

"From the patients I ran into, Becky took the best care of them," Tisha says. "I just mentioned if she'd ever want to do something like this, I'd be interested."

At first, Becky tried to cut hair and serve her clients.

But she wanted to have more time to work with her clients in picking out wigs.

She found a small building downtown that would fit her needs. Becky and Tisha and their families have spent months getting the building ready to open. They put berber carpet on the floors and painted the walls mauve brown.

Becky scoured consignment shops and found a number of pretty lamps and comfortable wingback chairs. She even has old hat boxes from Guyes and Oestrichers.

She wanted a place that was comfortable, inviting and private — and she's made it just that.

Angie Mooney of Salisbury came in recently for a second fitting on her wig. She'd picked out a wig with straight hair, but she'd always worn her hair curly.

Becky helped her find another wig — with curlier hair — that better suited her.

"I love it," Angie said as Becky styled the wig for her.

"I do, too!" Becky said.

Angie and Becky agree that trying on wigs is like trying on jeans — you have to find what's comfortable and what's right for you.

Angie has taken five of six chemo sessions.

"I'm finding that I'm weaker toward the end," she says.

But she likes her new wig.

"It feels great," she says, "it really does."

She's taken her hair loss in stride, figuring she'll grow her own back in about a year.

"I feel good!" she says as she walks out the door.

Although Becky has never had a business partner before, she and Tisha are comfortable with one another.

"We've clicked real good as far as friends," Tisha says.

Tisha will keep the books and meet with doctors' offices, hospitals and civic groups to tell them about Becky's Hair Solutions.

"I'd love to have the opportunity to talk with anyone," Tisha says.

That will free up Becky to work with clients.

Becky traveled to California twice to take classes to learn how to custom fit wigs.

It's not unlike taking a dart in a piece of clothing, she says.

"Yes, you are fighting cancer," Tisha says. "But you put on your wig and your make-up, and to the outside world, you are looking normal."

Wanda Ennis of Faith is another of Becky's customers. She doesn't want to go the wig route, she says, so she's picked out a cute black hat and a sassy cream turban.

She's taken three out of seven treatments for cancer.

"It's a new road we've traveling," she says.

Her husband Dan had cancer in 2005, so this is a role reversal for the couple, who married that same year.

She and Dan both plan to attend Relay for Life as survivors next year, she says.

Becky still has a few things left to do before opening the doors next week.

"I can't believe this is really gonna happen," she says.

The decision to give up being a hairdresser after 32 years, Becky says, was a tough one.

"Tisha's help gave me the push I needed," she says. "I think we've been good for each other."

She's also learned that there is a great demand for better-quality wigs.

"I know I did the right thing," Becky says.

There's a sign in her new shop that sums it all up: When nothing is certain, everything is possible.

For more information about Becky's Hair Solutions, call 704-855-1093.

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