Coral Cottage’s Hide Your Roots fundraiser benefits hairstylists who have been out for work for weeks.
Of all the things we miss during stay-at-home and social-distancing orders, taking care of our hair is at the top of the list. Hair salons will continue to be closed for the next several weeks at least.
What to do? Purchase a hat that not only hides your roots but also helps out your struggling hairstylist, of course!
Coral Cottage Boutiques launched a fundraising campaign on April 25 that is fun and meaningful and will give you a good laugh or two. Boutique owner Becky Borneman says that everything “kind of clicked” when she saw a hat on a vendor site with Hide Your Roots written across the front. Thinking of her own hairstylist, who has not been able to open her business since mid-March, she decided she wanted to do a promotion to help. That Hide Your Roots hat fits the bill.
The Hide Your Roots Fundraiser Hat is available in pink, navy, coral, and camo. When you purchase a hat for $20, Becky gives $5 to a stylist that you choose from the online list. So far, 250 hats have been sold, resulting in $1,250 being donated to 35 hairstylists.
Stylists agree to share the information about the campaign on their social media sites to help promote the cause. While most are local to this area, some are in Pennsylvania, Florida, and other parts of the country. Borneman says she is “happy to do it for anybody, anywhere.”
The Hide Your Roots Fundraiser is a win-win-win situation, benefiting the stylists, Coral Cottage and the vendor, who is based in Myrtle Beach. With so many small businesses struggling during these challenging times, the hats are definitely making a difference to those involved. “We’ve got to do something to help each other through this,” Borneman says.
Coral Cottage has been a Surf City business staple since 2014. “It’s been a dream come true for me,” Borneman says. She worked as a buyer for many years until deciding to open her own boutique here. She moved to the Topsail area from Tallahassee, Florida, and has been a local resident since 2008. Coral Cottage is a showcase for local artists and carries additional items such as jewelry, home goods, clothing, and kitchenware.
Coral Cottage has been closed for weeks in response to the statewide order issued in March but continues to sell merchandise online and through porch pickup. Through it all, Borneman continues to give back to her community, supporting local benefits and fundraisers. The Out of Darkness Walk for Suicide Prevention, in particular, is near and dear to her.
Borneman says she has always tried to do a lot for the community, including donating profits from Hurricane Florence t-shirts to the local Share the Table food bank. Another current project that benefits Share the Table is the sale of Puppie Love t-shirts featuring funny quotes about puppy dogs and quarantine. Borneman is donating $3 for each Puppie Stayed Home and Thank You tee purchased.
In addition to her work with Coral Cottage, Borneman is also involved in the operation of the Southern Roots Grille with Jeff Jones. Of both businesses, she says her customers are more than just customers. They’ve become friends. She says the locals around here are amazing, and she gets to know and care about the people who visit once a year as well.
Southern Roots Grille operates a food truck that has shown up in front of Coral Cottage occasionally. The restaurant is open Tuesday through Saturday for takeout only, so Borneman says she and Jones are “very grateful for the food truck.” She stresses how good the locals are in supporting both businesses, both of which enjoy a great customer base.
Coral Cottage’s Hide Your Roots Fundraiser will continue until the demand stops. You can add your favorite stylist to the list — or add yourself as a stylist — by emailing Becky Borneman at becky@coralcottageboutiques.com. Hats ordered online can be picked up at Coral Cottage, 14061 N.C. Highway 50 in Surf City. They can also be shipped for an additional $4.95.
