KENNESAW — One year ago, Jimmy Dickens picked through the rubble of his heavily damaged barbershop after a fire tore through the business overnight.
“God is good,” the then-city councilman declared, though his shop would shutter for nine months and require thousands of dollars worth of renovations. “He is still good because it could have been a lot worse. We could have no place to work.”
Twelve months later, things are looking up for Dickens and the nine other barbers at Kennesaw’s Amazing Cuts. The familiar humming of clippers could be heard about lunchtime Tuesday as a steady stream of faithful customers came through to get lined up.
Among them was Donald Augustus, who has been coming to Dickens for haircuts the last 12 years.
Augustus drives all the way from Paulding, typically bringing his two sons with him for a guys’ outing.
“It’s a good family environment and my sons can come play video games,” he said. “It’s a good place to come and they do a great job.”
Located at the corner of Main Street and Jiles Road, the barbershop reopened in August, said Dickens, the shop’s manager.
“We’re all close,” he said of his relationship with the customers. “The barbershop is like coming to a counselor or a pastor. They come for advice, the latest news, sports and to find out what’s going on in the community.”
While technological advances have transformed just about every aspect of modern American life, Dickens said the barbershop remains largely unchanged.
Men still take the time to get haircuts and chat about politics, sports or what’s going on in their personal lives.
Mounted to the walls of the shops are several televisions tuned to various sports networks as well as a PlayStation and an Xbox. If you ask Dickens, he’ll tell you the games are for the kids.
After the electrical fire last December, Susan Griffin, owner of the adjacent Ruts Clinical Hair Salon, allowed the gentlemen next door to take over her business for several months while their shop was renovated.
“She was nice enough to let all of us go over there and she worked from home,” Dickens said. “We didn’t miss a beat. We were there the very next day … They saw a need and they helped us.”
Griffin, who has been next door the last six years, said she knows how difficult it can be running a business.
“It was the holidays and I know this is big time for the barbers,” she said. “It was 12 of them, it was two of us and it only made sense.”
She said she’s glad to see her neighbors back and doing well.
Eric Ralford, who’s worked at Amazing Cuts nearly a decade, called Griffin’s generosity a blessing.
“That doesn’t happen,” he said as he focused on completing his client’s fade. “Usually you’d have to venture off into the world to find a new place to work. We never had to move locations.”
Ralford’s customer, Percy Broussard, also commutes from Dallas to get his hair cut.
“I always come to Eric no matter what because this is the place to be,” said Broussard, who’s been coming to Amazing Cuts since he moved to Cobb from Louisiana eight years ago. “I can’t switch it up no matter where I live … It’s just a bunch of laughs and jokes and you’re here having a good time.”
Dickens said despite the fire, it’s important to remember that he and his colleagues are still more fortunate than most.
“In every situation, you have to find the good and dwell on that,” he said. “If you only dwell on the bad, that will bring you down.”