Salon employs Hurricane Florence evacuee

CHARLOTTE, NC (FOX 46 WJZY) – Bee Young grew up in Charlotte and found herself back in the Queen City with her son last week to avoid Hurricane Florence.

She’s a hair stylist in Wilmington at Dalisay Salon & Bridal Suite. Young has been out of work since she evacuated.

“I knew that work wasn’t going to be available anytime soon until I got back to the salon in Wilmington. But I needed to do something to help my family and help everybody there,” Young said. “Bills keep coming, even when there’s a disaster like this. So I started asking for work here in Charlotte.”

Young posted on Facebook asking for help from stylists in the Charlotte area. She put out a plea for any available chair at a hair salon where she could temporarily work while staying in Charlotte with a friend. 

Due to several impassable roads towards the coast because of the hurricane, Young isn’t planning to head back to Wilmington until early next week with her son.

Her Facebook post spread and people started coming forward to help get results for her.

Young’s friends, who she hadn’t seen in years, started reaching out to her. Many of them were her classmates from South Charlotte Middle School and Providence High School. 

One of those old friends was Maria Nikopoulos who she hadn’t seen or spoken to since her school days.

Nikopoulos is a hair and beauty consultant, and owns Maria Solo Salon in south Charlotte located on 8035 Providence Road. She offered Young a chair inside her shop. 

They both have a common passion—they love hair.

“Hair stylists are a human’s best friend forever. Our clients are like our family. So for her not to be able to do what she loved is why I wanted to help her,” Nikopoulos.

Nikopoulos didn’t stop there. She posted a sign that says in part, “Donations—what way did you give back today? Please help in any way for the victims of Hurricane Florence.”

People can drop off supplies inside a closet that will go to help hurricane victims at the coast. So far people have donated bottled water, food and toiletries. But more is still needed. 

Nikopoulus plans to send some of the supplies back with Young to Wilmington to donate to people who need it. 

“Once I saw her devastation, and what was on the news in Wilmington, I decided to make start the donation drive so that people coming into the salon could have the chance to get involved,’ Nikopoulus said.

The rest of the donations will go to a relief group so workers can deliver items to other areas.

Young is thankful that Charlotte has been supportive. Several people have been reaching out to her to book appointments. She plans to donate some of the funds she makes to hurricane victims in Wilmington. 

“I cannot be more thankful because this is going to help me and a lot of people,” Young said.