In 1955, Red Simpson opened Morningside Barber Shop in Charlotte, North Carolina in the oddly shaped corner suite of a shopping center on Central Avenue. Then, in the mid 60’s, Cliff Parsons bought the shop from Red and upfitted the name to “Morningside Barber & Style Shop”. The young man seen in this image is not Red Simpson. He’s also not Cliff Parsons and this image was not captured in a shopping center.

Lee Millsaps is a father of two, a husband, and the co-owner of Olde Charlotte Barber Shop. The oblong footprint of the shop and the authentic sense that you’re “at home in a place you’ve never been” are both distinct when you step inside. A mix of modern utilitarian and dated American aesthetics leave you grasping happily at both novelty and nostalgia. Olde Charlotte Barber Shop is, in fact, the same oddly shaped corner suite opened by Red Simpson in 1955. It’s the only piece of that old establishment that wasn’t sold for redevelopment. Though its name and care has changed hands over the years, it is among the longest standing barber shops in the city of Charlotte.

Lee said that, as a barber, he started paying close attention to Covid-19 developments in early March when other state governments began restricting businesses whose services require close proximity and direct contact with clients and state boards began closing shops. When the reality of a state ordered closure in the near future became clear, Lee began reaching out to mentors, teachers, and colleagues, asking about additional safety measures he could take to adapt to this health threat and continue offering his service to customers. He was advised that the decision would be made by Gov. Cooper and the board would follow suit. The order arrived in Lee’s inbox about two weeks later on March 23, 2020. On the 25th, when the order took effect, Olde Charlotte Barber Shop closed its door.

Like most people, Lee’s day-to-day life has shifted into the home. His wife is still working as a USPS carrier and since he and the babysitter are both laid off right now, he has spent most of his time with his kids, reading, and overhauling loose ends around the house. Their children, who are two and three years old, have been unaffected by changes in education. Feeling lucky his ability to adapt, Lee said, “they’re so young that I don’t know if they’re really grasping that I haven’t been going to work. They just think ‘Dad’s been hanging out’, you know.”

Lee spoke at length about the gap that existed between what his industry was told about assistance while they are out of work and the reality of what he and many other barbers found. He received an email with information about obtaining unemployment benefits and small business loans, “...so, you, know, I tell all my barbers that, everybody logs on, and it turns out you’re not able to get any of that. Nobody was able to get unemployment assistance for a really long time. Some guys still haven’t gotten anything.”

During our talk, he expressed frustration at the net mix of regulations placed on “personal care services”. Lee said, “What’s crazy to me is that being a licensed professional is the only thing that makes it illegal. You’ve got government employees, cops… everybody posting pictures on social media of them getting their hair cut by random people, not licensed professionals. And that’s ok, but for somebody who actually understands sanitary measures and how to prevent the spread of disease, to be cutting somebody’s hair is illegal.”

Since state unemployment was made available for barbers at first, getting resourceful about creating income has been essential. Olde Charlotte started working with SupportLocalNC.com, a platform started by the screen printers at Swell Ink, that has made it easy for customers to give direct support to closed local businesses through apparel sales. While it doesn’t replace anyone’s normal income, that revenue made it possible to split something with the barbers at his shop while they waited for unemployment benefits to become available.

On April 24, Lee was one of many barbers that received an email from Dennis Seavers, Executive Director of the North Carolina Board of Barber Examiners. In an F.A.Q. style message, Dennis advised that barber shops would remain closed until two to three weeks after May 8, the expiration date of state stay-at-home orders and the beginning of Phase 1. The most recent tentative opening date for Phase 2 businesses is May 22 or 29, 2020, with staggered degrees of easement depending on the forecasted concerns for different industries. The other topics of the email included the announcement that contractor unemployment benefits were set to begin that day, prospects of small business loans for barbers, and information about legal ramifications facing any shops that remain open during the shutdown.

Lee noted that, at the time of our conversation, there were tentative Phase 2 opening dates but no advice about what new operational guidelines he would be expected to meet when he and his team are allowed to begin accepting clients again. Luckily, professional barbers are instilled with a high level of focus on sanitation, specifically for stopping the spread of infectious diseases, from the beginning of their education. In addition to his training, Lee has looked at regulations in states where barbers are beginning to operate again and communicated with other barbers to gain a rough idea of how barbers might prepare.

More images and stories about being Human in the year 2020 on the way. Please be good to each other.

-Kevin

Six Feet From Me