DETROIT – The barbershop is much more than a place to get haircuts -- It’s a safe space to discuss sports, politics, religion, love and everything in between.
“We need this kind of conversation that sparks our youth. That’s our future,” said Dave Hardin Jr with Heavy Weights Cuts.
It’s a conversation Dave Hardin Jr, with Heavyweights Cuts on Kercheval Avenue, said he wants to pave the way to have. Hardin said his shop is a safe haven for people to have that real down-to-earth talk about various topics and current events.
“I try to minimize the cussing. I cater towards the crowd that I have. If there’s young people, I have the rap on, for my older people I keep the news on,” Hardin said. “It keeps that conversation going, so we can interact with everybody.
Hardin said in order to set the right tone and environment, he has rules everyone has to follow, “No drinking, no smoking, no gambling. A lot of people may not like it, but if you don’t like it, then move on. That’s business I can really do without.”
Thursday, Lawrence Kenyatta, a peer recovery coach and motivational speaker with Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network, held his barbershop talk, at the shop, discussing those sensitive topics, “Today we’re talking about the coronavirus issue that’s going on. We’re talking about violence in the Black community. A lot of these brothers that sit in these shops, they’re very community minded. They come in, you have politicians who come, you have people who are very plugged in and very concerned about our community. The conversation needs to be heard, especially during this time right now,” said Kenyatta.