Commitment to quality. Commitment to community. These are the words that describe Wayne The Barber LLC Enterprise. Dewayne (Wayne) Harrington and his wife Tiana are well known not only for Wayne’s commitment in providing “precision cuts in a fashionable time” at the barbershop, but also for their commitment to serving the underprivileged and underserved in their community.
Wayne has been a licensed barber for 24 years and opened his own shop in Downtown Flint in April of this year. “It was a dream come true,” he says. He worked previously at various barbershops in the area and after attending barber school, he and Tiana became co-owners of a hair salon, which allowed them to offer haircuts to those in need. They partnered with Carriage Town Missions, Baker College, My Brother’s Keeper and the Chamber of Commerce Job Fair. Formerly a cosmetology instructor at Genesee Career Institute, Tiana is the executive director for Wayne The Barber LLC Enterprise.
There are many different programs that fall under the umbrella of the Enterprise. One of the programs offered is the “How the Clippers Saved My Life” mentorship program. “Students (age 8-18) come to the shop and we teach them how to cut hair,” Wayne explains. “We also talk about life skills,” Tiana adds. “It is a career exploration program that helps build character and keeps youth off the streets.”
At their Downtown barber shop, Wayne and Tiana Harrington
offer Flint youth both mentorship and barbering education.
The inspiration for the mentorship program is based on experiences Wayne had while growing up, having had a troubled past. When he was 12 years old, his step father, Calvin Banks, showed him how to cut hair to keep him out of trouble. “This is how the clippers saved his life,” Tiana states. After that, Wayne started cutting hair for people in his neighborhood. “This was a pivotal step for Wayne,” his wife shares.
“The importance of being in Downtown Flint is that we are able to create a safe space for the youth to come and learn about the craft of barbering and to help bring out their full potential.”
Wayne Harrington
Wayne founded the Flint Barber Team which consists of six barbers, including himself. With a mission to help others, the chosen barbers go above and beyond the call of duty. “He hand-picked them to make sure they had a heart for this community,” Tiana reports. Wayne continues to serve the community by giving free haircuts to those in need.
A licensed barber for 24 years, Wayne Harrington’s dream of owning a shop Downtown Flint came true in April of this year.
On August 5, Wayne the Barber Enterprise LLC hosted its 12th Annual Back 2 School Rally, which took place outside the barbershop (111 W. Second St.) where participants receive free haircuts, manicures and more. Backpacks filled with school supplies and books
are given away during the rally each year.
Along with his rewarding community outreach, what Wayne The Barber enjoys most is cutting hair – and he is committed to providing quality service. “He does a great job cutting hair!” exclaims his wife. “We take pride in the services we offer. Not only does Wayne make our customers look good, he makes them feel good about themselves.” There are a total of six barbers at Wayne’s shop who accept both appointments and walk-ins. Natural hair services include braids, dreadlocks, retwists and more.
Wayne The Barber Enterprise hosts an outreach event each year offering free services and school supplies, as well as food and fun for community youth.
Tiana was born and raised in Flint and Wayne has lived in Flint since he was six years old. They have five children between the ages of four and 26. It is important to both of them to have Wayne The Barber located in Downtown Flint.
“With the Downtown location, we were granted the opportunity to create a space for future professional barbers and give them a real chance to grow and thrive in their business and career,” Wayne shares. “Downtown provides a diverse group so that our clientele at Wayne’s caters to all demographics of people. The importance of being in Downtown Flint is that we are able to create a safe space for the youth to come and learn about the craft of barbering and to help bring out their full potential.”
