The first Monday of the month is a special day inside O’Neil’s Barber and Beauty Shop in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Children get a free haircut, and a unique opportunity to work on their reading ability, with books sprinkled throughout the shop. Indeed as soon as they come into the shop, they collect a book and become engrossed in the plot prior to sitting in the chair.

Once in the chair, the barbers assist with any difficult or hard to understand words, and enquire about the plot and story that the children have been reading.

Shop owner O’Neil Curtis created the Line 4 Line program in 2014 with volunteer Lucy Perera. Each year this program serves 200 kids aged between 3 to 16 years old.

You can find out more about this amazing program here: https://www.facebook.com/Line4LineBR/

For over ten years, Erik Zaiatz, owner of the two locations of Bostonian Barber Shop, has been trying to buy the space at 500 Liberty St. in Hanson, where his grandfather Don Botieri had run his barbershop for decades.

Finally, when the location re-emerged on the market a few weeks ago, Zaiatz saw the chance to buy the space, as a way of keeping his grandfather’s legacy alive. “I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to open there,” he said.

Botieri, a Hanson native, ran Don’s Barbershop from 1950 up until 2008, and passed away a year after his retirement. A staple in the Hanson community, Botieri was known as “Mr. Hanson,” and even has a ballfield in town named for him.

For Zaiatz, most of his childhood was spent in Don’s Barbershop, either getting his own hair cut, or just hanging around after school. All this time spent with his grandfather inspired Zaiatz to get into the barbering industry himself. “If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be in this industry,” he said.   

When he set up to open his first shop, Zaiatz teamed up with his sister Kayla and best friend Matt Penardi, who are both master barbers.

As his third location, Zaiatz made an effort to pay homage to Don’s, in terms of both style and services. With a traditional barbershop feel and design, the now Bostonian Barbershop, offers all the same old school styles and services, such as hot towels, and straight razor shaves.

Now, some of Boteiri’s former clients have returned to the Hanson location, to get their hair cut by their former barber’s grandkids.

Brian Hogan, a father of two, barbershop owner, and film buff in Des Moines, Iowa, found himself fairly miserable in the midst of the pandemic. With his Barbershop business all but obliterated, Brian was looking for a project to keep his sanity.

That’s when he heard that his favourite, childhood video store, Video Warehouse, was going out of business after 34 years.

Buying out the contents of the video store, including the shelves and the ‘Tape Return” sign,  Brian embarked on the DIY project to create an in-house video store.

He said, “I spent a lot of days sitting in my chair hoping people would come and get their hair cut. I’d go home and catalogue and start hanging shelves. It took my mind off things.”

With no intension of setting the video store as a business, Brian explained: “It’s more of a time capsule,” meant for family and friends, he said. “Friends who come over get to pick out a movie and we watch it.”

 He continued: “I spent a good part of my childhood in the video store. That was a Friday night thing. You didn’t just go to the video store. You went to the video store.”

Put your technique & talent to the test. Capture the trendsetting-yet-timeless spirit of the American Crew man.

Spend time with top grooming experts, perfect the American Crew Menswork method of styling, and show off your craft with the best stylists in the world.

This year’s challenge will consist of individual in-country judging panels to select their national winner, who will then move forward to participate in the Global competition. For the first time ever, a student edition of the competition will also be hosted in the US.

The Global Committee will then name (5) top competitors as the All-Star Challenge 2021 Winners. A Local Committee will select the student winner.

Looking for inspiration? Want to find out how to enter?

Visit: https://allstarchallenge.americancrew.com for full details!

ENTRIES CLOSE MAY 15 2021!

Residents of Milwaukee were offered the chance to have more than just a haircut at Gee’s Clippers barbershop recently when the popular barbershop was offering Covid-19 vaccinations.

Gaulien ‘Gee’ Smith, owner of the shop had teamed up with Anthem Blue cross Shield, Hayat Pharmacy and Unite WI to turn his wellness clinic into a Covid vaccination site.

The clinic, located at the back of his barbershop at 2200 N. King Drive, operated every Saturday starting March 27 through April 17.

“I’m geeked,” Smith said of the opportunity for Gee’s MKE Wellness Clinic. “This is something that I’ve been wanting to do for some time once I knew that the vaccine was coming out. There are so many African Americans — for their own reasons — not getting the vaccine.”

Having a site in the heart of the city would encourage more people to get the vaccine and make it more accessible. Milwaukee County officials recently expanded the eligibility to get the vaccine to those as young as 16 years old in certain ZIP codes.

“Getting back to normal,” he added, “means being part of the cure. The vaccine has been proven safe,” said Smith, who has done public service announcements with Froedtert Hospital and Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield promoting the safety and efficacy of the vaccine in Blacks.

Barbers performed three cuts in the competition to join the Wahl Education Team.

Wahl Professional is pleased to announce that Peter Puertas (@p.cuts) is the winner of the 4th Annual Online Wahl Barber Battle. Puertas has been awarded an honorary, year-long spot on the Wahl Field and Education Team, a complete 5 Star line of tools and a Wahl Prize Package. The barber calls Provo, Utah home, where he and his wife, Meghan, own a joint barbershop and salon called The Hideaway.

Barbers interested in participating in the battle had to submit a video of themselves performing the three designated cuts: the Afro, the Taper and their own Signature Cut. These cuts were picked by Wahl’s U.S. Director of Education, Lisa Finucane, and her panel of judges. They were chosen to test entrants’ skills and their ability to not only perform day-to-day cuts in the shop but unleash their creativity with their own Signature Cut. Once the submissions were gathered, the judges assessed entries on how the barbers not only showcased their skills but also educated viewers on their technique. Puertas prevailed in the intense judging process and was named champion.

“When Lisa and Byrd (@byrdmena) showed up at my shop, I didn’t realize what was happening until I saw the camera behind them and heard Lisa tell me that I was the winner of the Barber Battle. You couldn’t tell, but under my mask, I was smiling so big,” says Puertas as he recalls the moment, he found out he won the battle. 

Despite his victory, Puertas is new on the barbering scene. He went to Paul Mitchell and graduated in 2019 with a passion for education. He was motivated to submit a video for the battle, not once but twice. Only being a few weeks out of school, Puertas entered Barber Battle 3 in 2019 and cracked the Top 10. Puertas took that encouragement and let it fuel him to do better the next year.

When asked what his winning strategy was, Puertas noted that he wanted to not only create great cuts but also focus on his passion for barbering and education. Despite his early success, Puertas at first wasn’t sure about participating because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It wasn’t until he saw the announcement of the battle on YouTube and had the encouragement of his friends and family that he knew he should take another chance.

“My first clipper ever was Wahl and since then joining the Wahl team has always been a goal of mine. Every day I learn something new about the company, and each day it makes me even more thankful to be a part of the team. I love that Wahl focuses on quality over quantity,” says Puertas.

Finucane is always on the lookout for new talent to bring to the Wahl Education team. Her goal is to continue to propel the clipper manufacturer as a leading education source in the industry. When she saw Puertas’ submission video, she knew he could be a contender to join the Wahl team.

“It’s such a great feeling to know that you’re bringing someone into the industry who can help make a difference and who wants to be a part of something bigger. I’ve had a lot of mentors throughout my time in the industry and it’s going to be great to see Peter bring someone new into the industry himself and be a mentor for them, too,” says Finucane.

Following Puertas is Humberto Vasquez (@chuckyvasqz) in second place, earning a spot on the Wahl Select Team, Wahl tools, and a Wahl Prize Package. Jaida Whitfield (@jfiondrathebarber) placed third and received Wahl’s Barber Combo Set and Clipper and a Wahl Prize Package.

To view all three barber battle winners’ submission videos, go to WahlBarberBattle.com. Follow Wahl Professional on Instagram (@wahlpro) and sign up for their Ambassador Program here to stay up to date with upcoming events and programs.

As featured in the April edition of BarberEVO North America

American Crew® has introduced The 2021 Collection: HQ, a trend offering that takes old-school barber techniques to new heights.

This new collection features techniques that fuse clean editorial silhouettes with dramatic, exaggerated shapes. HQ, short for Height Quotient, is inspired by the military crew cut while paying homage to the nineties film and music eras. 

Embodying the perfect harmony between austere aesthetics and solid fundamentals, the curated program consists of six cuts and offers styling options for various hair densities and textures. With a focus on tapered barbered fades, HQ capitalizes on height as a level for disciplines and diverse creative expressions. 

“Men’s style is constantly evolving. By taking a step back from the meticulously groomed look, we are seeing a resurgence of dynamic shapes and texture — and our HQ Collection celebrates just that,” said American Crew Founder David Raccuglia, “HQ is a bold barber-centric collection that allows stylists to adapt any texture or type of hair to achieve the style their client desires. I absolutely love the fact that the shape of a haircut can cross into so many cultures.”

David continued: “Needless to say, our industry has been hit hard by the pandemic with the closures of barbershops, salons and schools. It’s been a challenging year for the Pro community, but their strength and resilience hasn’t kept them down. While their businesses have been shut, they’ve applied themselves to further their learning and precise their techniques – they really are some of the hardest working people out there! As a team, we knew we had to get creative and pivot our educational strategy to support the Pro when they need it the most and HQ has been our creative vehicle for that. We are offering a plethora of digital education with HQ so this is an incredible and very versatile collection that stylists and barbers around the world can utilize to learn new techniques.”

YAH YAH

Highlighting Yah Yah’s incredible texture, this cut features a strong square and tall technical shape throughout the front whilst focusing on a curved silhouette and a blown out, non-textured finish. The razor fade exaggerates a clean blend of skin to hair in the perimeter for strength and scalp exposure. 

Product used: American Crew® Ultra Gliding Shave Oil, Lather Shave Cream, Revitalizing Toner and Prep & Prime Tonic.

ANDREI

Andrei’s silhouette driven cut is a 90’s movies styling journey. Inspired by iconic looks featured in Rocky and Top Gun, and utilizing American Crew Boost Powder for extra volume, the hair is styled using an upward momentum to create the dramatic shape. 

Products used: American Crew® Prep & Prime Tonic and Boost Powder.

VIN

Vin’s structure contains a concave interior to recreate an editorial version of the traditional 50’s flat top. The strong silhouette helps build the exterior, exaggerating the clipper over comb enhanced interior, while the texture and separation results in a structured yet broken finish.

Products used: American Crew® Prep & Prime Tonic, Firm Hold Gel and Molding Clay.

For more than 75 years, the budget-priced barbershop Astor Hair, in the cellar of 2 Astor Place, has been a New York icon. The legendary shop has seen thousands of clients from old and young, from students to stockbrokers.  

Unfortunately even icons such as Astor Hair are not immune to the effects of the pandemic. Due to restrictions, for much of the last year, Astor Hair was forced to close. When the end seemed near for Astor, a group of private investors led by Jonathan Trichter, stepped in to keep the place from closing.

Recently, the men’s grooming brand Harry’s has also stepped in to help keep the legend alive. Harry’s has stocked the place with thousands of its Truman Razors, one free to each of the first thousand people to walk in the shop. Harry’s has also recruited filmmaker and Instagram fave Nicolas “Nico” Heller to shoot a series of short videos about Astor Hair and its merry band of barbers, which will air on IGTV through the middle of April.

Harry’s general manager Jaime Crespo said, “We all thought it was a really important cause, but knew we wanted to do more than just donate product.” After all, free razors do little good when you have no customers.

Trichter was an unlikely savior for an independent hair salon. He’s managed digital startups, worked on large corporate restructurings including Hostess and, in 2018, he ran for state comptroller. But while Trichter’s most comfortable with a Wall Street close crop, he never lost his fondness for Astor Hair where he got his first “grown-up haircut” in 1985.

When he heard that Astor was having a close shave with bankruptcy, Trichter assembled a group of investors to take it over. According to Trichter’s LinkedIn page, Astor Hair—which kept all of its barbers on the payroll—returned to profitability in January of this year. Trichter considers the place to be “the most iconic barber shop in America.”

The last time Astor Hair came close to shutting its doors was during the 1970s, when New York City staggered through a financial crisis and a crime wave as many longtime residents fled for the suburbs. It saved itself by offering mohawks, fades and other cuts that won it a punk clientele. More recently, Astor Hair’s customers have included New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, who settled for a little off the top.

This week marks the fifth anniversary of Jake Hunker’s Barbershop in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. To celebrate, Hunker is donating $5 for every haircut he completes, from March 30 to April 3, to the Railroad Street Youth Project.

Throughout Hunker’s high school career, he said in a recent interview, “I was never one to really be into my books. I was more of a hands-on person.” This characteristic spurred an interest in motorcycle mechanics, but his frequent visits to the barber shop before his basketball games and school dances proved a more promising direction for Hunker’s future.

After the sudden closure of Hunker’s previous employer, Sim’s, the barber shop formerly located on Main Street in Great Barrington, he “was forced to make the choice to either go into business for myself, or find another direction … I took the plunge, and here I am starting my fifth year.”

While Hunker was confident he could make his business successful, he always tried to “pay attention to what made my clients happy and what made people comfortable in the barber shop. It’s definitely been a journey, to say the least, but I’m grateful to say I’ve made it.”

Over the course of his five years in business, Hunker estimates he has acquired 150–200 clients and predicts that, as long as he has a full schedule next week, he should be able to donate $400–$500 to Railroad Street Youth Project.

Hunker decided to go with RSYP because its mission resonated with him. According to the RSYP website, the organization “excels in helping youth find their voice and realize the benefits of their commitment to themselves and their community.”

RSYP is very grateful for the donation Hunker plans to make. “We are so touched that Jake thought to give back to us,” said Tiffany Riva, RSYP director of development. “We send Jake big congratulations on five years of success.”

Riva applauds Hunker’s motivation and his connection to what RSYP stands for. “At the end of the day it’s about Jake, this young person stepping into a leadership position,” Riva said. “These are all the components Railroad Street has in its mission — the intergenerational support, community supporting community — so we are just delighted.”

Hunker’s donation, Riva said, “will go towards helping to keep Railroad Street sustainable. It’s

The residents of Berkshire County seem to truly appreciate Hunker’s work and business in general. Jake’s Barber Shop has earned a five-star rating on Booksy, with over 180 reviews. The page is filled with comments praising his work. Customer Nate C. writes: “Jake’s is the only place I’ll go to get my hair cut. He’s extremely friendly, attentive, and has a clean and relaxed atmosphere in his shop!”

Hunker recognizes the support he’s received over the years from the town of Great Barrington. “I just want to show my appreciation in more ways than just continuing to provide haircuts,” he said. “I want to give back a little bit. This whole town put me where I am now.”

If interested in booking an appointment at Jake’s Barber Shop, visit booksy.com or call 413-717-4238.

Those in Ohio thinking about getting into barbering or cosmetology, might be able qualify more quickly, if a bill that seeks to reduce the number of training hours is enacted into law.

Ohio lawmakers are holding hearings on a bill that would reduce the number of hours required to become a licensed cosmetologist or barber. It’s an issue that’s been debated in the legislature for years. 

Sen. Kristina Roegner  says reducing the required hours of training to become a cosmetologist or barber lowers the hurdles for a person wanting to join the profession in Ohio. 

“Individuals that want to work. A lot of them would be single moms and they want to be able to get a job and not have to incur this huge amount, excessive amount of tuition,” she said. 

Currently to get a license, a barber needs 1,800 hours of training. For a cosmetologist, 1,500 hours of training. The bill, SB133, would cut the hours for both professions to 1,000 hours. Roegner has introduced similar legislation in the past, dating back to 2017 (HB189) when it was a bipartisan bill with a Democratic co-sponsor.

To see more, visit The Statehouse News Bureau