| Classic Cuts offers an All Star line up to the community | | Print | |
| Written by By Toni Terrell |
| Thursday, 05 March 2009 19:41 |
 The dream – a positive atmosphere where fellas can hang out, shoot a couple of hoops, get a quick but professional fade, hollah at your boys, eat a few snacks and check your emails - the spot; Classic Cuts King of Cuts. Lined with handsome, professionally dressed Master Barbers in every station, Classic Cuts possesses a unique atmosphere themed toward basketball with everything from business cards printed with ‘stats’ to discount coupons in the form of tickets. “Our goal is to provide a relaxing atmosphere where men, young men and women can come in and take their minds off of the day-to-day hustle of life – sports has always given people an outlet to release stress,” said Calvin ‘Tito’ Hudson Jr., master barber and the shop’s owner and brainchild. Located at 1445 W. Alexander Rd, suite 105 in North Las Vegas, Classic Cuts offers wireless internet, non-stop sports on any of its floating flat screen televisions, and wholesome conversation with any master barber – all of which are highly skilled and educated. But what separates this official barber shop of the NBA players from other shops in the area is its biggest feature – the full length basketball court positioned in the middle of the shop. “The basketball court just throws people off,” Hudson said. “Most of the time if you go into a shop and the barbers are busy – you just have to sit down and wait. We just wanted you to have something to do – practice your jump shots,” he added. A native of Louisiana, this 36-year-old soft spoken entrepreneur spends his days cuttin’ up the boys and fading the men, but his mind is always geared toward how he can step up his game in the community. “People come in and they look at the shop and they are impressed but God gave me this idea to encourage people as well,” Hudson explained. “When people come in for the first time and they ask about how and why we came up with this, it gives me a chance to encourage people to come up with their own ideas and seek to live out their dreams. Just like God gave me something, He has something for you too,” said Hudson, now a 12-year-resident of Las Vegas. Hudson bounces many of his ideas, including the theme for the next shops schedule to open, off of his marketing director and strategic partner Troy Pollard. “One of the things about Tito is he’s always looking to work in the community,” said Pollard, a basketball coach for Clark County. “He is always on me to come up with something that the shop can do to encourage young people to stay on the right track and do something positive with their lives – that’s his number one topic,” Pollard added. Besides allowing some young men to just come in and do their homework on the laptops or shoot around until their parents arrive home, Hudson and Pollard have launched several mentoring programs between the barbers and local youth to foster relationships in the community. The Talent Scout All Star Draft, sponsored by the shop, will offer tickets to all high schools, churches and restaurants in the areas. Twelve winning tickets are drawn and those young people have the opportunity to have their photos taken with their barber for the Classic Cuts all star calendars, receive a free cut and lunch, and be placed on the wall for Classic Cuts all star team for the full year until next draft season. “Some of these kids don’t have anything to look forward to,” Pollard said. “We want to offer our clients something that they can be proud of. Even if you don’t play basketball all that well, you can still be an all star.” The shop is also scheduled to launch its All Star for a Day charity where free cuts are given to the homeless kids and financially struggling homes in the community. Generally 12 are chosen based on essays presented from specific areas. Votes are received from various organization leaders and the barbers and winners are chosen. The marketing duo is currently searching for other sponsors who would like to participate in the program to help with transportation and advertising. “We believe that if we all come together as a community, we can make it through this recession,” Hudson said. “Our barbers are willing to give a cut or two to help a single Mom keep it together until she’s back on her feet. It is nothing harder than a boy watching his Mom struggle and feeling like he can’t do anything about it.” Spending his time listening to the struggles and heartaches of many of those in his chair, Hudson said his heart burns to help when he can. “There are a lot of people that sit in my chair and bare their souls. I hear about broken marriages, custody fights, all sorts of stuff. I use this chair to minister to brothers to hang in there, but that goes back to the old barber days – the barbershop was the backbone of the community,” he said. Former barber with House of Fades, another local shop in town, Hudson said he almost gave up on his dream to become a business owner. “I cut with them for almost 8 years before I moved on. They are a good place but it was time for me to make a change,” he admitted. “My clientele didn’t follow me but I found out there is enough business for everybody. That’s when my mind changed about the business.” Now engaged to be married to his sweetheart Sharon Henry, Hudson has realized his dream and plans to take it a step higher. The first string business executive plans to be a franchise by 2010, and has his own King of Cuts product line coming out soon. In addition, the shop has plans to bring live television to the spot and has just a few more months before they launch their new magazine. “God is just doing big things with the shop,” Pollard said. “Tito never stops thinking about ways to improve the business, offer kids a positive role model and work me to death,” Pollard said dropping laughs in between. For if you got hops, need to relax your mind or just want to chop it up or get chopped up – hollah at your boys at Classic Cuts. You can take your pick. There is Tito, who has been in the barber business for more than 15 years, and has been featured in a variety of hair shows. Or you can choose Ezekiel Conner, an award winning barber who has also performed in many shows and is one of the best eye-brow archers in Vegas, if the not the world. There is the infamous Michael Joyner, one of Las Vegas’ best and most charismatic barbers known for his skills with hair color and designs of all kinds. Joyner headlined the Hair Wars show alongside the best collection of barbers, and is also a champion of children’s cuts. Clients may also choose Berry Wilson, a 12-year seasoned veteran in the profession who has mastered his skills in all types of precise cuts, master fades and afros. He has been featured in May 08 Black Enterprise and also cuts celebrities and pro athletes. And of course there’s D.D. Powell, who also appeared in Black Enterprise Magazine as an employee at one of the best barbershops on the west coast. He was the winner of the 2006 Barber Battle in Louisiana and is deemed great with the razor. Powell is known for always being in the best of spirits, a great inspiration to the young people and forever places God first in his life. No matter who you select, you’re sure to come away with an award-winning look and an all-star attitude at Classic Cuts – King of Cuts. Call for an appointment at 702 399-8221 or just fall in the game on the north-east corner of Martin Luther King and Alexander- tell them the Answer Newspaper sent you! |
| Last Updated on Wednesday, 01 April 2009 21:18 |