Even More Classic: The Classic Man at the Meadows now has a barber shop
Tony Brewer Sr. has made the most of his small business grant from the United Way of the Wabash Valley.
MET 041025 CLASSIC BARBER BREWERS FRONT
As the barber pole spins above them, Classic Man Fine Men's Clothing Store owner Tony Brewer, Sr. and his brother and barber, Teddy Brewer, pose for a photo in front of the new Classic Man Cuts barber shop Thursday in the Meadows Shopping Center.
In December, UWWV distributed $1.5 million to 26 small-business owners, including Brewer's Classic Man Fine Men's Clothing Store in the Meadow Shopping Center, which received $98,000 for sales training and store expansion, including the addition of a barber shop.
'That grant has really sped up our progress as far as expansion,' Brewer said. 'We're looking forward to the opportunities that are forthcoming.'
The new and improved Classic Man is celebrating its grand reopening Saturday.
Brewer, who's owned Classic Man for just more than seven years, expanded his store to a vacant space adjacent to his, and transformed his original retail outlet into a barber shop.
His brother Teddy, who has been cutting hair for more than 30 years, mans the barber shop, and Tony's in negotiations with another barber. Though the shop doesn't have firm hours of operation yet, as he hires more barbers, the hours will expand. During its soft opening this past week, it saw a number of walk-ins.
'A lot of people are looking for barbers,' Brewer said.
'There is a need for Black barber shops,' Teddy added. 'There's a demand.'
Teddy said that he and his brother were sort of inspired by one another to expand with the barber shop.
MET 041025 CLASSIC BARBER 02
The Classic Man Cuts Barber Teddy Brewer cuts customer Terry McGee's hair Thursday in the new barber shop that is part of the Classic Man Fine Men's Clothing Store in the Meadows Shopping Center.
'He supported that I was a barber, and I think I proved that I was serious about it and he took a chance on me to expand,' he said. 'We could've used the space for just clothing.'
Tony and Teddy have installed an old-fashioned barber pole outside the shop that Teddy found online.
'The barber shop pole has sparked a lot of interest,' Tony said. 'For the older generation, that really meant something to them. People say, 'It's good to see one of those — it brings back memories.' A couple said, 'It made me want to get a haircut.' It's doing its job already,' he added with a laugh.
More furniture will be coming to the barber shop — a table and a couple of chairs to lounge in.
'We want this to be kind of a social magnet where people can come in have a positive place to hang out and talk,' Tony said. 'We have two ground rules — stay away from politics and religion. We don't want it tense in here.'
It couldn't get too tense, given the gracious presence of the brothers' mother, Denise Gard, who is always ready with a friendly greeting for patrons.
'You see my mother — that was the environment we were raised in,' Tony said. 'She taught us about kindness and treating people the way they want to be treated.
'I tell everybody, 'I'm the boss, but she's in charge.''
Tony lived in Indianapolis for a while and took notice of the more professional way those around him dressed.
'I started dressing a little better, and seeing there was a need in Terre Haute to do that, to dress without going to the big-box store,' he said. 'I try to represent more of a moderate look of what people wear here — more conservative colors, more conservative styles. But those who come in who want something a little more flashy, we carry that also.'
Men's suits at Classic Man are reasonably priced, generally between $140 and $180. It's not easy finding quality inexpensive clothing, Tony said.
'That's an ongoing process,' he said. 'I'm still getting new providers of suits. I'm a small market, so I can't get some suit companies because I can't make the minimum $10,000 order. I have to be more picky and choosy about the suits I can get in my store.'
Brewer's grant also allowed him to purchase a sign for the exterior of the Meadows Shopping Center, replacing the Ace Blinds
'We were going to do it eventually,' he said, 'but the grant allowed us to speed the process up.'
Brewer will be dressing two men for a complete makeover for the upcoming Wabash Valley Recovery Center's Recovery is Beautiful gala April 19 at the Terre Haute Convention Center. Tickets for the gala and dinner are $100 at bit.ly/3G3MGbv.
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