Providing Free Hair Cuts and Guidance to Young Men Brings New Meaning to Elijah Tucker-Carter
Just recently, Crisp Ee Cutz announced that they now offer haircut services for all ages after being in business since Jan. 2018. Owner Elijah Tucker-Carter said he’s offered to cut kids’ hair in the past, but only with people he knew personally. According to Tucker-Carter, a lot of barbershops don’t offer to cut kids’ hair, which is why he decided to open up his shop to those in need.
“A lot of people turn babies away,” he said. “They’re a person too.”
Yet, when it comes to children’s hair, you have to be more delicate and cautious. He said some barbers make the mistake of using adult clippers on children.
Elijah Tucker-Carter. (Picture by Brooks Griffin)
“It’s like a knife and it can cut a kid,” Tucker-Carter said about clippers. “That’s the only thing I think about when cutting a kid.”
And, since it’s usually the kid’s first haircut, the barber nor the parent knows if the kid may be allergic to stuff needed to make a fresh haircut. Since Tucker-Carter knows all of these things, he makes sure to inform every parent before taking on their kid. He also added that people tend to give up on their kid’s hair, so when they come to him, he encourages them to try again.
It’s about keeping the kid’s hair healthy and moisturized because if you don’t, then he has to charge more. He doesn’t mind the extra work, but if he can save the parent some money with just a little knowledge and encouragement, then he does.
Along with opening up his services to all ages, Tucker-Carter has been providing free haircuts to young men through Safe and Sound’s Barbershop Mondays. He seen a post that Safe and Sound was looking for local barbers, he reached out, and has been cutting with them since their first Barbershop Monday.
For Tucker-Carter, it’s more than just a free haircut, it’s a bond.
“Listening to their stories is surreal,” he said. “It’s definitely deep to see.”
Barbershop Mondays are a time when the young men “get to relax from reality” because most of them are dealing with things in life that they shouldn’t, he said. He’s met young men who are 15-16 years of age that are taking on adult duties who haven’t been properly raised by an adult on how to be one. Whatever the issue or case may be, people like Tucker-Carter are giving them a platform to be free of their troubles.
One of Safe and Sound’s Barbershop Mondays. (Picture by Brooks Griffin)
“[We’re giving] them the ins and outs of what they don’t see. They need love too. They’re starting to feel that brotherly love. They see what it’s like to be a man,” Tucker-Carter said.
The young men also get the opportunity to meet Milwaukee Bucks players. They even have a doctor who specializes in opioids to talk to them about addiction and the effects of drugs.
In these nonjudgmental spaces, talent is discovered. During one of their talks, the group found out that two brothers are R&B artists and that resulted in a performance of their latest song on spot. Tucker-Carter described the experience as “raw”.
“[Barbershop Mondays] pushes me and it motivates me because the job ain’t done,” Tucker-Carter said. “The more we do it, the more I get to see the kids come back…they’re excited.”
Tucker-Carter believes 90% of the kids they encounter will change, they just need guidance and relevance. As a person who has dealt with a lifetime of troubles, he’s grateful to be there for the kids.
“Just because you grew up in a broken home…your story is not over because it looks bad,” he said.
As Tucker-Carter continues to run his business and provide free haircuts, he will be enrolling in school to officially get his license to barber.
Visit Crisp Ee Cutz at 3271 N. Holton St. To set up an appointment with Tucker-Carter, call 414-935-2302.