In a post-pandemic world, the barber shop serves as a place where folks can gather and talk, alleviating loneliness.
Along the stretch of Jefferson Avenue in inner city Rochester, New York, with corner stores and empty lots, New Creations unisex barber shop is a neighborhood staple. It’s where Willie J. Lightfoot and his team have served the community for two decades.
“We’re like a community counseling center,” Lightfoot said. “The beauty salon and the barber shop are where people come to talk.” The neighborhood barber shop has served a critical mission over the decades in American history. Barber shops and salons have been special places for the Black community since the 19th century, as featured in a Smithsonian exhibit. They are not just utilitarian places to get haircuts. They are also places where Black people can talk about issues that are important to the community. Scholars have cited salons and barber shops as sanctuaries for Black communities.
The Willie W. Lightfoot Square is now celebrating its 20th anniversary as a tribute to his late father. Along with the barber shop, the 4,200-square-feet building has a Jamaican restaurant, and Lightfoot recently opened a laundromat. The plaza has come a long way since Lightfoot went to banks asking for loans and was turned down due to the location. With persistence, Lightfoot was able to secure a city loan to grant as well as bank loan.
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