Insight News

Grand opening set for Eddie’s Barbershop

Eddies’ Barbershop is an institution that grew out of an institution. It is a legacy enterprise that builds on a heritage of self reliance, entrepreneurship, self-confidence, business-savvy, and the unshakable belief that our people possess the gifts and understand the responsibility of building community.

The venerable institution is preparing for a Grand Opening of its newly restored business location, following two hiatuses that resulted from a demolishing fire that ravished the establishment.

“That fire was the lowest point in my life,” said master barber and entrepreneur, Eddie Withers, Jr.. “It seemed like the end, but out of it has come a new beginning that is bigger and better. Looking back now, what was a low point has transformed itself into a high-point in my business career.”

Withers talked about his history in the barbershop business last week in an interview with us on KFAI’s Conversations with Al McFarlane. He said his business follows the tradition of ownership established by his father and mother, Eddie Sr., and Geraldine Withers. A native of Duluth, MN, Eddie Withers Sr., married Geraldine and into the expansive, pioneering Davis clan, headed by boxing legend, businessman and education advocate, Danny Davis.

“My parents built an office and retail building that took up half a city block, on Concordia Avenue between Kent and Mackubin in the heart of St. Paul’s historic Rondo Neighborhood. The building was home to the original Eddie’s Barbershop, and housed the leading professional businesses that served our community,” Withers said.

Ted Allen Insurance Company, Dr. Clayborne Hill, Dr. Harry Crump, Field’s Drug Store, and Paul Ray, who had a Black law firm, had offices in the building, he said.

The building was a landmark, recalled St. Paul native Yusef Mgeni, whose family lived on the block in back of the Withers’ building. “It was a blond stone one-story building with a modern glass front. The major tenant was the Field’s Drugstore and Soda Fountain. I walked by the building on the way to school for years,” he said, reflecting on the vibrant Rondo community.

Eddie Withers Jr., said that same spirit of building and owning your own continues to guide his investment in and service to our community. He said before he decided to launch his own business some 40 years ago, he had worked for other companies in various jobs. “I decided I had a choice of making employee’s pay or making owner’s pay. I chose to be an owner,” he said.

Eddie’s Barbershop will celebrate the Grand Opening of its new facility at 4301 4th Avenue South in Minneapolis on Saturday, September 18th. The Grand Opening events will show off the swank, upscale professional look of the Barber Shop and the companion Ebony Images Beauty Salon.
“The Barber Shop has four chairs and the Ebony Images Salon has four stations as well. Of course, we continue the tradition of exploring, inspecting, analyzing, dissecting, and challenging each other on the issue of the day, whatever that may be,” Withers said.

“My role is to be the instigator. I like to get things started. I throw something out and step back and let people go at it. A person may come in with a fixed attitude about an idea or issue, but they have to have their positions well thought-out, because they will be challenged,” he said, smiling. “You’ve got to know what you are talking about. Sometimes the conversations get heated. We calm things back down. We have a good time. It’s all in fun.”

What are the most talked about issues of the day?

“Women, sports, and politics in that order,” Withers said. “Some guys will say Black women have a chip on their shoulder, that they are upset about this or that. But I say a lot of our women have grown up in bad situations and you have to work with them and ask them why they feel the way they feel.”

“I have daughters and my life has changed since I have daughters. To protect your daughter means you want to protect women. So I talk to the young men and help them rethink how they relate to women.

Does the conversation get into interracial dating?

“Things have changed a lot. Not only do Black men date white women, but Black women are comfortable dating white men, these days. But for Black men who won’t even look at a sister, it’s often a problem of the Black man not feeling good about himself,” Withers said.

“Sisters are tougher. They know the brothers more. They can read you. They see through you. So for some, it’s easier to jump with a white lady, who can’t read you, than with a sister,” he said.
What about the relationship between African immigrants and African Americans?

“I have a lot of African customers,” Withers said. “And they tell me that before they get to this country, U. S. Immigration officials tell them to steer clear of African Americans. So they come here suspicious of Black people. Then, we get told we should not trust Africans, and that they are coming here to take our jobs. It’s the classic ‘divide and conquer’ strategy that colonizers have used effectively against us. We just have to be better and smarter.”