Eric's Barbershop

Official Name: Tar Heel Barbershop

The business began in June 2009.

Eric opened his own barbershop because it was a dream of his, after he earned his barber's license and became a professional barber. Some of the problems/disadvantages that he believes are associated with Black-owned businesses in this area, are that there isn't a very big Black
population in Chapel Hill and many Black-owned businesses in Chapel Hill only specialize in products catered to the Black public and therefore they may tend to struggle a little more than white-owned businesses. Eric said that some of the causes of problems for Black-owned businesses, just in the sense from a barbershop perspective, are the bad stigmas of drug involvement and other illegal activity that are often associated with Black barbershops, therefore putting them at somewhat of a disadvantage in comparison with white-owned barbershops because they don't have those negative stereotypes or stigmas about them and therefore don't have to worry about the backlash they may ensue from that.

I asked him if he faced any abnormal/racially biased opposition or tension in finding a location/opening his business and he said that he didn't. Instead that he really likes his location and receives a steady bit of customers both walking along Rosemary St. and passing through Rosemary on their way to Franklin St. Eric said that he has done many things to combat the possible stigmas associated with Black barbershops by creating a "comfortable" environment
for all customers of all races. He alluded to his time while working in Campus Barbershop and how they lost some business to white customers and other races because the shop sort of personified a "hood mentality" or what not. Therefore, he implemented rules and other guidelines in his shop that made it somewhat neutral in the aspect of race. Eric mentions that a lot of his clientele are UNC students, along with other locals/ Black Chapel Hillians that he has built up throughout his years of being a barber in this area. Also, he states that he has a decent
white clientele of which he provides them with a great service for a cheaper price than they would pay even at white barbershops.