“I grew up in Fairhope. I liked fishing and hunting, but my grandad kept me busy. He had an egg farm on Twin Beach. He also had a shrimping and a firewood business. I come from a working family.

I graduated from Fairhope High School and moved with my sister to Texas to find a job. I started learning about cutting hair. I moved back here, went to Bishop State, and took it from there. I opened my first barbershop in Foley.

Men talk in the barbershop like women talk in the beauty shop. It gets wild and funny and serious, but they feel better leaving here.

Being a barber is like being a counselor. People trust us to make them look good and keep their secrets. I listen and we share information. It doesn’t cost anything to listen and speak to a person. I learn something from my customers every day. On their bad days, I get to remind them it’s going to be alright. Just keep pushing,

We have been open in Robertsdale for five months and the name is Diversified Barbershop because we cut anyone’s hair. Sometimes we look around and have a lot more white guys, but that’s a good thing. Everyone comes in and feels at home. We need a place to come together, and we want there to be a bond when you walk in. I have kids and want to set a positive example.

Growing up in Fairhope, I hung around with a lot of white guys. We jumped off the bridge, hunted and played football and basketball together. We went to each other’s houses and on spring break. I loved hanging out with my class. They were nice people and our parties were mixed. I am open and friendly to everyone. I want the barbershop to be that.

My wife is from Foley. I played football and she was the color guard captain. We met in our senior year of high school. We’ve been married 16 years. We go through ups and downs, but she always has my back. Being a parent and a husband is a daily test, but I want to motivate my kids not to give up. Our kids love being around us because we always do things together.

We haven’t had our grand opening for the barbershop yet, but I want to have a ribbon cutting soon. We hope to expand to the Tanger Outlets in Foley. Fairhope is expensive, but I would love to also have a shop there to bring guys together.”

Edmund
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The Our Southern Souls book is available online at www.BuyOurSouthernSouls.com with free shipping through Christmas. It will soon be at Page & Palette and Melt and More in Fairhope and The Haunted Book Shop and Ashland Place Gallery in Mobile.