By Kelsie LeRose
Times West Virginian, Fairmont
WWR Article Summary (tl;dr) A West Virginia Mom and her two daughters hope their new beauty business “Eye Candy” becomes the place to go to get glam. “Eye Candy” offers a wide selection of wigs as well as human hair for extensions. Other services include braiding hair and hair weaves.
FAIRMONT
Eye Candy, a family business in downtown Fairmont, opened its doors in March as a one-stop shop for makeovers, hair and nails with the goal of helping the people in the community.
Tiffany Walker Samuels and her two daughters, Justice and Jazmin Samuels, opened their businesses after having to travel to Pittsburgh for hair products and hair care.
“I realized that the wig stores that were at Meadowbrook Mall in Clarksburg had closed,” Walker Samuels said. “We are the only wig store in the area. It really has taken on a life of its own, and now we cater to everyone.”
Being the only wig shop in the area, Walker Samuels said they are bringing in people from areas like Clarksburg and Morgantown who are hopefully eating and shopping in Fairmont while in town.
She added that she remembers downtown to be vibrant, and wants to help get the area back to that.
“I have always had a love for downtown Fairmont since I was a little girl,” Walker Samuels said. “This is my first opportunity to truly invest in downtown Fairmont. I want to see downtown like it was in its heyday when I was a little girl.”
Eye Candy offers a wide selection of wigs as well as human hair for extensions. Other services include braiding hair and hair weaves. The shop also offers hair products and accessories.
The store includes an in-house salon called Glo-ing Looks Beauty Bar by owner and stylist Gloria Oscar.
All hair types are serviced at the store, and Eye Candy has a special interest in serving people who have suffered hair loss due to medical reasons.
“We are really looking to be a blessing to them,” Walker Samuels said. “I am continuously thinking how I can really cater to them more.
“That was really unexpected for me — really when I thought about it I really just thought about cosmetic enhancements. I didn’t know that there were so many women with hair loss (due to) alopecia, cancer, medications.
Now, I am looking at what it is that I can do to really be a blessing to someone that suffers from that.”
She added that private appointments can be scheduled for individuals to try things in privacy, and they are working on some special discounts.
For Walker Samuels, it is an honor to be in the store front that they are in.
“Fashion Scene was here for 27 years, so it is a special location for me,” she said. “For me, I want to continuously elevate because Rina Potesta did a great job with this space for so many years with her company. It is kind of like having big shoes to fill.”
Walker Samuels said they are always looking to expand their services to help the community.
“We are hoping to really just add to the footprint of Fairmont,” she said. “I hope to get to the point where we can hire employees and really just continue to grow, not necessarily for us, but it is our way of giving back to our community.”
They are currently in search of a licensed nail technician.
“We are looking for someone that is excited about owning their own business, and that truly has a genuine interest in serving the people because customer service is key for us,” she added.
They believe the business market in Fairmont is right for a nail salon, Walker Samuels said.
Eye Candy is a family-oriented business. Walker Samuels would like to thank her mom, Jessica Collins, without whom she says she could not have opened her store, and Oscar for being a “tremendous support.”
For more information on services offered or to schedule any appointments stop into Eye Candy at 208 Adams St. or call 304-368-0027. They are open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.
