Cole Pirano '26
Dec 8, 2023
You may have noticed the red, white, and blue barber's pole on the east side of Tippets Hall. It marks the entrance to the new campus barbershop. Commonly known as "The Shop," it debuted in the spring of last year and has been a success ever since.
It has been a dream of students, parents, and alums for years to make student hair care more accessible. After settling on a space for the barbershop, DEI directors Dr. Renata Williams and Jamar Galbreath turned that dream into a reality. The facilities team poured countless hours into creating the barbershop. Galbreath claims, "I have never seen a space transformed so quickly."
Open at least twice a term, the barbershop is staffed by licensed stylists and barbers from salons and barbershops in Harrisburg and Chambersburg. Galbreath says that the barbershop is so crucial because of the role that he hopes it will play in the Mercersburg community. He explained the historical significance of barbershops in the United States.
"Barbershops, hair salons, and other places that provide hair care have served as cultural hubs for communities for time immemorial," said Galbreath. Barbershops have almost always been a place for people to come together and share ideas and opinions, which is an underlying goal of The Shop. The Shop has the opportunity to become a hub for the Mercersburg community as Williams and Galbreath have envisioned it to be.
Kene Olusanya ‘24 said, “the barbers were professional and gave a great haircut at an affordable price.”
Customer Yule Kwon ’25 described his experience with the Shop, calling the barbers "talkative and quick." He explained how easily they understood what he wanted and was pleasantly surprised with the quality of the service. Kwon also mentioned how "organized" and "ready for customers" The Shop seemed and said that it was "definitely better than any of the barber shops that students go to over the break."
As for additional plans for the barbershop, the school is also looking for cosmetologists. They would work in the same space but on skin and facial care.
Given the goals of the barbershop and its great reviews, the Tippetts Barbershop is worth a visit. And it’s a convenient way to get a good haircut quickly. To quote Galbreath, "Come and get a cut, or just come and kick it. The Shop is open!"