A new barbershop opened Thursday morning at Michigan and Main Streets in downtown Three Rivers. Comb Over Barbershop owner Jerry Washington and his fiancée Amy Jones held a small grand opening ceremony starting at 10 a.m. inside the storefront at 2 N. Main St., where visitors could partake in snacks and refreshments, meet Washington and Jones, and talk about their business.
Washington, who is from Fort Wayne, Indiana and attended barber school there at the Chosen Christian Beauty and Barber College, has cut hair for seven years. Jones is from Three Rivers, and for the past four years, the two have lived here together. During that time, Washington cut hair in Kalamazoo.
Eventually, Washington decided to enter into his own business. “One day, me and my fiancée were driving downtown looking for ‘for rent’ signs, and here we are,” Washington said. There is currently one barber chair station in the shop, but Jones said Washington plans to add two more stations and hire additional staff.
“A buddy of mine, he’s from Indiana, he got ‘the comb over’ and I just went with that. At first I wanted to call it ‘Executive Cuts,’ but this name just fit the building,” Washington said. He also considered a building on West Michigan Avenue, but got a better price on rent at the Main Street location from owner Tom Lowry and liked the building better both for its iconic appearance and its corner location. “It just looks like a barbershop,” he said. Washington also said a building next door with the same cast iron work on its storefront was even a barbershop at one time.
Washington has several appointments lined up already. So far, the business has gotten “a lot of feedback online,” Jones said. In addition to Thursday’s ceremony, Washington has also been in contact with the Three Rivers Downtown Development Authority and Main Street Program about potential promotional opportunities. Executive Director Tricia Meyer has been helpful so far, Washington said. “I offer good service,” Washington said. “I do it all. Razor shaves, comb overs,” various kinds of fades, and other services, he said.
Washington said he plans to take out advertisements and install a sign above the storefront, below the upper story windows, with the shop’s name on it. He will paint barber pole stripes on the half-round, cast-iron storefront columns on either side of the front door. The shop has its own Facebook page with additional information, and Washington can be reached for appointments at 269-221-3562.
The business joins a growing list of Black-owned businesses in Three Rivers. “I feel good,” Washington said. “I plan on being here for a while. I’ve got to make it happen.”
The shop will be open Tuesdays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and closed Sundays and Mondays. Parking is available on Main Street and behind the building on Railroad Drive.
Dave Vago is a writer and columnist for Watershed Voice. A Philadelphia native with roots in Three Rivers, Vago is a planning consultant to history and community development organizations and is the former Executive Director of the Three Rivers DDA/Main Street program.
