After 47 years, Ratcliff puts away her scissors

Bob, pixie, shaggy, mullet, buzz cut, Afro and bangs, Sally Ratcliff has shaped a lot of hair since 1973. However, last month Ratcliff put away her scissors, rods, chemicals and combs, retiring after 47 years as a beautician.

“It’s been hard,” said Ratcliff. “It was a tough time saying goodbye.”

It was during her senior year at Red Oak High School when Ratcliff first got acquainted with hairstyling while taking a class called, ‘Occupations,’ through the high school.

“I worked at Betty’s Beauty Salon, and they talked me into going to beauty school to be a hairdresser,” Ratcliff recalled. “I went to school and graduated in May 1973 and started working for Betty in early June.”

In 1976, Ratcliff, Marty Barnett and Linda Wollenhaupt started The Beauty Nook in Red Oak. The trio purchased the current facility in November 1976, which had previously been Tucker’s Service Station and an apartment. Ratcliff said they kept the shower during renovation, which turned out to be quite useful.

“The women who worked at Everready, they’d come in and use the shower before getting their hair done. After a shift, they’d be covered in carbon,” Ratliff said.

Barnett left the business after 14 years, and Wollenhaupt and Ratcliff continued in the beauty business. In May 2014, Wollenhaupt and Ratcliff sold The Beauty Nook to Jeff Fort.

“At that age, I didn’t want to repurchase anything, but I have worked in that building for 44 years this January.”

In the 47 years of being a hairdresser, Ratcliff said she has seen a lot of fads come and go. Two that stick out the most were the Farrah Fawcett and Dorothy Hamill.

As for changes in the industry, Ratcliff said when she started the majority of clients wanted up-dos and roller sets. Chemicals used on hair for perms and coloring have also become healthy for hair, which wasn’t always so. Over the years in addition to cutting and styling, waxing and nail services were included in most salons.

“When I first started was when men first started coming to the salon, and barbers became less and less,” she said.

Being a hairdresser for nearly half a century means Ratcliff has styled the same heads of hair for almost five decades. It also means she is on the third and fourth generation of some clients. In fact, the close friendships she has made over the years is what Ratcliff will miss most.

“I’ve become a part of their family and them, mine.”

Just settling into retirement, Sally and her husband, Larry, plan to spend more time with their grandchildren and traveling. Larry retired from Parker Hannifan in May 2019, after 44 years.

While Ratcliff is no longer styling hair, she said The Beauty Nook continues to be in very capable hands.

“I’ve felt very blessed in what I’ve always done,” she said.