An Urban Experience- Karl's Barber Shop

Well, it looks like we have got ourselves another legitimate post here. Yesterday, I decided to take my camera out and go to an area that I have acquainted myself very well with over the past year and a half. I decided to go to Karl's Barber Shop. This is a place where I have been attending since I was a senior in high school. I figured that since I was going back to OWU in a couple of days, why not get spruced up and fresh before I go. The other reason I decided to get a haircut before I went back down to OWU is that I can get the urban experience of people in my neighborhood at a reasonable price. This is what makes Karl's Barber Shop a pleasant place to be.
Let me share some background I have recently found out. Karl's Barber Shop is THE oldest Black business on Lee Rd. Founded 43 years ago by Karl Thomas, the barber shop has became the cornerstone for good haircuts and good times. Centered in the middle of the Lee-Harvard Shopping Plaza right by my alma mater, John F. Kennedy, it serves all customers, young and old. I was going to another barber in the area for my first three years at J.F.K. but I was bored with the same old environment and the lack of business so I started to migrate to other businesses in the neighborhood. I went to a couple of barbers that charged more than what I was expecting so I decided to try out Karl's Barber Shop. A couple of my friends were regulars at Karl's and I gave it a try. A couple months later, I started to become a regular at Karl's myself. Karl's Barber Shop is the quintessential place to get a decent hair cut and much more. Karl's Barber Shop is now run by Karl's sons, Jeff and Gary Thomas and it is thriving as much today as it was back when it first opened. Lately, Karl's has been receiving rave reviews in magazines such as Cuttin' Up in Cleveland, which is posted inside Karl's Barber Shop. I don't have the full editorial but just to give you a little tidbit of information, the editorial tells of the purpose of Karl's Barber Shop and comments from Jeff and Gary Thomas about a little bit of everything from advice to comments from their experience and commitment of cutting hair in the Lee-Harvard area.
This camera shot was taken by me from the chair of Jeff Thomas. I was waiting for Jeff to start on my hair so I took a quick snap. This is what I got: the standard pictures of the hairstyles that Karl's Barber Shop uses on its customers. Some are quite simple and others are more specialized- this is all up to the customer and Jeff or Gary will give you that style. Normally, I get a bald fade with a lineup. This time, I asked Jeff to do the same thing but make it a little shorter since I don't want my hair to be the same way in two weeks or less. This way, I will not have to spend a lot of money in Delaware. Obviously, there are mirrors in the back so you can triple-check your hair (this is after they give you a mirror to personally check while you are in the chair). Usually, there are tons of people wanting to get a hair cut so it takes a while sometimes to get to your hair. Sometimes, you might have to make reservations just to get a seat. Hey, Karl's Barber Shop has very good service- no complaints, ever.
The reason I say Karl's Barber Shop gives me an true representation of the urban experience is because that I can walk in the shop and listen to a real, educational experience about any topic whether it is in regards to the educational system in Cleveland, the institutional system of prisons and health care, real estate, sports, the list goes on and on. All kinds of people come around to just discuss issues with other people. I see many people I know- I just saw a guy who went to my old middle school and I have not seen him in four years! A month before, I was talking to this guy who went to CSU and was majoring in Mechanical Engineering. He overheard me talking about my job at Parker and coincidentially, he was trying to get his foot in the door at Parker. At Karl's, you never know what who you are going to meet and conversate with in the course of two or three hours. Everything is unexpected but a good unexpected. I feel that Lee-Harvard needs more businesses like Karl's Barber Shop not just because of the business but the feeling of what around other people to whom you can relate your business and issues to.
Karl's Barber Shop also has its own unique personalities. The barbers, Jeff and Gary, are unique kind of guys and they always bring their own flavor to a conversation. They know this area like the back of their hand. Jeff knows all about being an John F. Kennedy Eagle and listening to his stories about playing for J.F.K football is always very interesting. I always find myself in the middle of a good, heated debate from Jeff and some of the other customers about certain hot topics (gay marriage and the dress code issue in our schools, anyone?) By hearing both sides-young and old, I can usually make my own analysis of a situation. Seriously, where can you be a participant in a good ol' debate and not be criticized by your beliefs. Only at Karl's. Good haircuts, good advice, good people.
I wanted to bring to you, the reader, the urban side of things before I went back to small town Delaware on Thursday. I think it is important not to forget the little things in our lives that make us who we really are and to share with others why these things are important to us. I grew up living in an urban environment and I will never forget that- this will be embedded in my brain for the rest of my live. I am glad that I am an urbanite and that I can share Karl's Barber Shop with you. That institutions such as Karl's is not sensationalized like it is on the silver screen. These institutions are real and they are here to stay. I am embracing my culture and my environment. You should too.




Bringing you the real side of things,
Hasani Wheat
Class of '10