- Micca Terrell
It was just over one year ago that Bryan Austin quit his job at a prestigious barbershop in Clarksville to venture out on his own.
Now, as the one-year anniversary of Hometown Barbershop nears, Austin said he is thankful for all the support of the community which has helped him weather the ups and downs of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Austin said it has been “quite a ride” since Hometown Barbershop opened for its first full day on January 15, 2020, on Highway 12 in Henrietta, Tenn., just a stones’ throw away from the Cheatham – Montgomery County line. The business was just a few months old and barber Jason Lusby had just joined the team when Governor Lee’s executive order forced the barbershop and hair salon industries to close.
“There was a lot of support from community while we were closed, and lots of folks were wanting us to reopen,” Austin said.
In early May, Hometown reopened its doors, and there were a lot of “corona cuts” or homemade haircuts to fix, he said.
“Besides local folks coming in, we had many customers from Clarksville and Nashville,” Austin explained. “Lots of barbers there were not able to open as quickly as we did due to their own county mandates,” he said.
Several customers even came from out of state to visit Hometown Barbershop, including Fort Campbell, Ky., and as far away as New York. “We have some loyal customers in the military and from far away who say they will make the trip to get their looks taken care of by Hometown,” Austin said.
Over the past year, Hometown Barbershop has also given back to the community through the “Kuts for Kids” program, which has provided approximately 300 haircuts at no charge for students at local schools in Cheatham and Montgomery Counties.
The look of the shop has evolved, too, with a definite “man cave” vibe and hometown flair. Football jerseys, framed articles, photos, and memorabilia decorate the walls. Of course, there is a lot of University of Tennessee orange and white, including some autographed by local legend Pat Head Summitt of the Lady Volunteers basketball team. A local church, Sycamore Chapel, donated a church pew for customers to take a load off while they wait to get their hair cut.
Hometown Barbershop is located at 4200 Highway 12 North, Ashland City, Tenn. They take walk-ins Tuesday – Friday 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. Connect with them on Facebook at https://facebook.com/Hometown-barbershop-100219111515737/.
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