I grew up in a small town in Northern Indiana, and that's where I first picked up the craft of barbering. It was there I learned the rhythm of a good shop - the discipline behind a clean cut and the standard of showing up every day to do the work right.
In 2017, I made my way to the Cleveland area and spent a few years behind the chair, sharpening my skill set and building a reputation for consistency. Eventually, I stepped out on my own and opened my own Barber Loft. Something personal, built from the ground up.
Life shifted. After some time navigating a long-distance relationship, I moved to New York for a couple of years. The pace was different, the energy was different, but the work stayed the same: precision, consistency, presence.
In 2024, we made our way back to Northeast Ohio, and that's where things aligned.
Roots Barbershack was established in 2015 in Downtown Willoughby by Trisha Pierce -not just someone I work alongside, but someone I genuinely respect and consider a close friend. The shop has always carried its own identity: real people, real work, no shortcuts. In November of 2024, Roots moved to Euclid Avenue, right on the main strip of historic Downtown Willoughby -a stronger presence, right where it belongs.
I joined Roots in April of 2024, renting my chair and rebuilding my book with intention. In a short time, I've been able to grow a solid clientele here; one person at a time, the right way. This is the current home of Black Hat Barber.
My focus is men's and boys' grooming, straight-razor shaves, and clean, consistent haircuts that hold up when you walk out the door and for days after. No rushed work. No guesswork. If you sit in my chair, you're taken care of. Good conversation if you want it. Comfortable silence if you need it. Always respect, always presence, always a real and authentic connection.
I'm currently accepting new clients. If you're looking for a barber in Willoughby, Ohio who takes pride in the craft and shows up every time, I've got you covered. Referrals mean everything to me. If you have someone in your life who needs a solid cut, send them my way.
People ask me all the time - why "Black Hat"?
To answer that, we have to go back to the fall of 2007. That season took two of the most important people in my life: my grandparents. They passed just days apart on their small country property in Northern Indiana. It was the kind of place that felt steady and honest, built on hard work and quiet strength.
They were more than grandparents. They were a second set of parents to me and my seven siblings. Their home was open to anyone, always. You walked in, you were taken care of, no questions asked. That kind of hospitality stays with you. It shapes who you become.
A few days after they passed, our parents took us back to the house to gather something of theirs. Something to hold onto.
I took one thing - my grandfather's black cowboy hat, sitting right where he left it, beside his bed.
That hat means everything to me. Every time I see it, I'm reminded of who he was: a man who worked his whole life, who showed up, who didn't need to say much to earn respect. That's the standard I carry with me, and it's what I bring into my work every single day -not just the craft itself, but the way people are treated when they sit in my chair. Respect. Presence. Hospitality.
Years later, I found myself volunteering at a campground in Southern Ohio. Long days, real work; the kind that tests you. I wore that hat while working those events. It became part of me. Not as a costume, but as a reminder of where I come from and who I'm doing this for.
Somewhere along the way, I met my partner - another hard worker. The kind of person who builds rather than talks. He's been step for step with me as this brand came to life, and he helped build this very site. He wears a black cowboy hat too. It felt like a sign.
Now I've got a collection of them. Different shapes, same meaning.
Black Hat Barber isn't just a name. It's where I come from. It's what I carry. It's the standard I hold myself to every day I show up behind the chair.
