LEXINGTON ─ Logan Walker said he wants to create a barber shop that is family-friendly and appealing to young people.
He installed a kid’s race car barber chair at the business, LJ’s Barbershop, which opened only a week ago at 21 West Main St. in Lexington. Walker said he has done a lot of children’s first haircuts throughout his career, witnessing toddlers screaming from the beginning until the end.
The unique chair may help the process go more smoothly, he said. Children who accompany their fathers to the shop can wait in the chair, too.
Alecia Binion brought her son, Zander, to LJ’s Barbershop on Thursday. She said Zander, now 2 years old, has received haircuts from Walker for a year. He has come a long way from screaming in her arms to sitting in a chair on his own, remaining calm most of the time.
Binion said Walker has done a good job. She didn’t really know what she wanted with Zander’s haircut, but Walker can take all her wishes and make the hair look good.
As a father of three, Walker thought of parents’ needs when opening the shop. He said he is going to build a kid’s corner in the shop’s front room with a kid’s desk, coloring books and a TV. He said he wants customers to relax when having the haircut and their children to have a good time.
“I’ve seen so many dads sit down in the chair and not be able to hold their head still because they’re looking for their kids. They can’t relax,” Walker said.
The kid’s corner will also be a nice place for his children to hang out when they stop by. Moreover, the shop’s name, LJ’s, represents his love for them. He said he originally named the shop after his oldest son, Logan Jr. The 4-year-old got excited about it. Then Spencer, his 5-year-old daughter, asked, “Why not ‘Spencer’s’?”
He told his little girl that the “s” at the end is for her. And Spencer made sure everyone is aware of that, Walker said in laughter. Also, his youngest son is Lincoln James. The name “LJ’s” turned out to match the family pretty well. And Logan Jr., of course, was the shop’s first customer.
After working on construction jobs for years, Walker went to Ohio State College of Barber Styling to learn to be a barber, an occupation that he has felt drawn to since high school. He said he set up a goal to open a shop in Lexington when joining the training.
After graduation, he started working at 419 Barbershop. Walker said he learned from great barbers there.
“I wouldn’t know how to run a shop now if I had never gotten there … I wouldn’t know how to cut hair the way I can now,” he said.
He never imagined he could own a shop within two years after graduating from the barber school. He said he is thrilled his dream has come true.
Walker wants to help rising barbers through LJ’s Barbershop, he said, because he knows how hard it could be at the beginning. New barbers often have limited shifts at one shop. He is going to add another station later at his shop for barbers who need a part-time job or to make money during a transition.
“I just want a spot where any barber that I’ve known through school, if they say, ‘Hey man, I just need a job for a couple of days.’ (I’d say,) ‘Come on up,’ ” Walker said.
LJ’s Barbershop is open for appointments and walk-in customers from Tuesday through Saturday. Those interested can make an appointment at loganwalker.booksy.com or by contacting Walker at 419-989-1238. The shop’s hours are as follows:
Tuedays and Wednesdays from noon to 7 p.m.
Thursdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
