“In 38 years, nothing ever affected my barber business like the pandemic”
by Melanie Jongsma
LANSING, Ill. (July 2, 2021) – Rick Pierce has been barbering for 38 years, in Lansing since 2005. His shop on Torrence Avenue has been a distribution point for the printed issues of The Lansing Journal, as well as a source of story ideas and community conversation. Since the Journal is in print less frequently now, our visits to Barber Rick’s are less frequent. This week we asked Rick if we could spend some time with him again, catching up in person.
Managing Editor Josh Bootsma filmed the conversation, which covered:
- Pandemic impacts on Rick’s business as well as The Lansing Journal’s
- The discovery that Barber Rick’s was Lansing’s first Black barber shop
- The dynamics of running a small business that essentially manages 10 other small businesses
- Printed newspapers vs. digital news
- Straight hair, curly hair, and overcurly hair — proper barbering terminology
Local Spotlight
The Local Spotlight ad referenced at the close of the video appears at the bottom of the main column of each page of The Lansing Journal website. At $100/month, Local Spotlights are a cost-effective advertising option for small businesses. Email The Lansing Journal for more information:
About Barber Rick’s
Barber Rick’s is located at 17851 Torrence Avenue in Lansing, Illinois. Call 708-895-8800 for more information or to make an appointment.
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Related
- Gov. Pritzker releases guidelines for safe reopening during Phase 3 (May 2020 article)
- Phase 3 of Restore Illinois
- Hair styling prohibition ends in Lansing (June 2020 article)
Great story! Loved to hear from Lansing Business owners. Barber Rick is a good addition to Lansing
What a fantastic feature! Thank you LJ for highlighting our local businesses and capturing what makes Barber Rick’s a truly special place. As a person of mixed ethnicity myself, I can appreciate a place like Barber Rick’s that can do all types of hair with experience and expertise!