Despite pandemic restrictions, two new small businesses have opened their doors to the public in downtown Fayetteville recently. Tru Perfections Salon and Stachia’s Fully Loaded Grill are now open in the Cool Spring Downtown District.

Serving clients for their hair, makeup and beauty needs, Tru Perfections, located at 125 Person St, is owned and operated by De’Von Buie.

An artist of 13 years, Buie is skilled in makeup, body painting, hair style and color, props and more. The salon has two other stylists specializing in natural hair and eyebrow tinting. “I knew this would be a good opportunity for me and I just had to do it,” Buie said. “My aunt helped me finance opening the store which means a lot to me since she passed away recently due to cancer.”

As far as the pandemic, it's been challenging, he said, but in this career it’s a bit different because people constantly need their hair done.

“I have three kids, so that's what keeps me going, and it motivates me,” Buie said. “I need to stay alive, do what I love.”

For more information about Tru Perfections Salon, call 910-224-1530.
Stachia Arnold opened Stachia’s Fully Loaded Grill and Mart located at 200 Robeson St. What started in 2018 as a food truck led to a permanent location in Spring Lake and now Fayetteville.

“We used a food truck and visited downtown, we had a good business model, then we got ready to do brick and mortar,” Arnold said.

The veteran-owned restaurant offers simple American cuisine with a twist and is located alongside a convenience mart to enhance the customer experience. Some of the popular items on their menu include chicken wings, fully loaded baked potatoes, fully loaded cheesesteaks, fully loaded fried rice and fully loaded fries. We have about 25 to 30 flavor combinations for wings, she said.

“I am the oldest of three children, my mom was working and would work late … she taught us to make the simplest things and make them good,” Arnold said. “From then I always had to create something different, so I started Stachia’s Fully Loaded Grill when I moved back to North Carolina.”

The restaurant will be expanding its Spring Lake location in March to provide a 3,000 square feet, dine-in food and bar location. Stachia’s is open Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sundays from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. For more info call 910-502-0123.