Gaulien “Gee” Smith
“I don't run away from this responsibility because the way I look at it, if they come to me for help then what would I look like not helping. This barbershop is part of the community.”
- Gee
I grew up on N. 7th and W. Melvina St. My father was a county bus driver, and my mother raised six boys and a girl. My father used to cut all the boys' hair with clippers he purchased at Walgreens, because it was too expensive to take us all to the barbershop every two weeks. One day, I picked up the clippers and asked my mom if I could cut my own hair? She told me I could — but however it looked, that's how he would have to wear it to school. Before long, I was cutting my brothers' hair and soon all my friends by the time I was 13.
I was 21 when I decided to make this my career. I went on to become a state-licensed instructor, manager, and practitioner.