By Dallas Fox
With the start of the new school year at GC, we have brought in many new students to be a part of our community and family. Moving to a new area is fun. The freedom and ability to continue to pave the path for your future is exciting, but there are certain things that you must figure out that may seem to be difficult to adjust to. Ranging from how to navigate around the Greensboro area and what stores, food spots and social hangouts are for you. There is one need that almost everyone can shed light on, and that is where to get a haircut.
There are three big concerns that usually cause discomfort and fear when going to a new barber. First is how you will feel when you are in the setting of the shop. Second is how the interaction will go with your new barber. Third and most importantly, will you look good after your cut and get what you asked for? I have gone to the same barber for much of my life, so I had these concerns when I came to Greensboro, but they were all solved after walking through the door of Kingdom Cuts.
At Kingdom Cuts, you feel welcomed as soon as you walk through the door. These guys love to make you feel comfortable and are very easy to talk to too. Due to them being at a new location (709 E Market Street), they currently do not have all their entertainment. But they will have it soon including TVs that usually play (genre or specific moves) and music of all kinds, old and new. Their environment is unlike any other. I can recount multiple customers coming in just to talk to the barbers because their connections are so deep.
I asked the barbers questions about themselves and their connection with the others that they work with. Stefphon (aka “Biggs”), JT and Kaleel are three of the six barbers and they all have a deep connection with one another. It surprised me to learn that they have all cut for seven or more years and went to barber school together.
“I took barber school seriously as soon as I graduated where I met Kaleel and JT. Ever sense then we were tight,” Biggs said.
“I had to reroute in life after making bad decisions early on and I just took a chance at being a barber because I always took my appearance seriously,” said JT about how cutting hair pulled him out of a tough time.
A full circle moment for JT is that he has been a part of Kingdom Cuts for a long time because he used to get his hair cut there in college. Kaleel was able to bring them all together when he got Biggs a job at the shop with him and JT.
A huge part of why this place is so important is because of their support for the community. I recall multiple vendors entering the store and the barbers always support them telling their customers how good the food is. They also buy from a two-man team who sells all types of hair-cutting products. This shows the tight-knit hard-working community they have built. These men have nothing but respect for someone who is trying to better themselves and others.
Another way that they give back is by their promotional Wednesdays where they will cut your hair for only $20 if you are a college student. This spoke heavily to me about their character, knowing how some of these young college students struggle to have the money to pay so much for human accommodation, and they see that and care for anyone and everyone.
The heart of Kingdom Cuts is far beyond the clippers and fresh fades. It is a place where new students, longtime locals and anyone searching for a sense of belonging can walk in and immediately feel seen. In a year where so many at GC are learning to navigate a new city, a new routine and a new chapter of life, shops like this remind us that moments of connection. Kingdom Cuts shows that a haircut can be more than a service; it can be a bridge, a conversation, a reset and a reminder that Greensboro has people who genuinely care about your well-being.
As the school year unfolds and you continue to find your place here, spaces like this where comfort, authenticity and support come naturally will make Greensboro feel less like a new city and more like home.
