JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Queencutz Corner is a barbershop in the River City aiming to provide more than just a cut.
Kecia Myers owns Queencutz Corner, a full-service barbershop that is changing barbershop norms by being owned and operated by an all-female crew.
Since the 19th century, Black salons and barbershops have been staples in the Black community, providing a unique social function of offering a space where Black people can be vulnerable and talk about important community issues in a comfortable setting -- all while getting their hair done.
“They like the private setting. They’re able to come in and release and feel comfortable without everybody seeing them,” Myers said. “My clients like to come in and talk and just let their hair down. I have a lot of professionals and people that, you know, they have to release.”
Myers has been a professional barber since 1997 and while she works in a male-dominated field, she said being a woman has its particular advantages.
“Men actually appreciate a woman cutting their hair,” Myers said. “They understand that a woman knows how a man should look, and it’s normally something that the wife or significant other likes to see.”
Lionel Smith has been a client for 23 years and counting.
“I’ve had other men cut my hair in between but nobody does it like Kecia does,” Smith said. “It’s just the attention to detail and everything, and I just let her do it and she makes me look right and my wife likes it.”
Myers said servicing men is common, but the work she does for women sets her barbershop apart from the rest.
“Being a woman, I know how a woman likes to look. And the problem that they have with a lot of barbers is that they just don’t give them that feminine look,” Myers said. “And just because a woman wants to wear a haircut, it doesn’t mean she wants to look like a man.”
Whether you’re coming for a quick cut, a conversation, or a mental release -- you’ll leave with a memorable experience.
“I came and I like the customer service and the family relationship building,” Smith said. “Now that they have a partnership going on, it’s just like family and she does an excellent job.”
For Myers, providing just the right cut is one way she is investing in the community.
“Your appearance really matters. It makes you feel good. It changes your attitude. It lifts you up, and I like to be a part of that,” Myers said. “So being that I can provide a service that helps you feel better about yourself, I’m all for it.”.
Barbershop spaces continue to shape and evolve culture and norms in the community, no matter who’s behind -- or in front -- of the chair.