Barber Davion Davis cuts customers hair. | Kelly Darden
Alfred Anderson | Staff Writer
Popular Barbershop Among Students and Athletes to Close Doors
The Groom Room has been serving the African American community of N.C. State for more than 10 years; but, with plans for a Marriott Hotel to be built on Hillsborough Street, its days are numbered. The barbershop is going to be torn down in December to make room for the new hotel.
Owned by Mike Mitchell and Davion Davis, the Groom Room sits directly across from the Bell Tower and is the closest African American-owned Barbershop to central campus. “We were told about three years ago that the shop was going to be torn down; we just never got a date, now we do. We’re trying to find a new spot close to campus, but a lot of places have high rent.”
With news of the Groom Room’s looming demolition, many African American students who live on campus are sad to see the barbershop that is within walking distance from campus, go.
“The Groom Room has such a chill environment,” said Marcus Zeigler, a junior at N.C. State. “It is messed up that it is getting torn down, there already aren’t enough barbershops close to campus and their shop was probably the best.”
“It sucks [that the Groom Room is closing], said sophomore Justin Richardson. “It’s a good place to get haircuts, and it’s close to campus. You can walk from class, the gym or the library and get there in just a few minutes. I don’t know where students will go now.”
Aside from the Groom Room, the nearest barbershop to campus is College View Barbershop, located across from Wolf Village.
The Groom Room has been a customer favorite not just because of its convenient location, but also because clients never know who they might see in the barber’s chair getting a weekly line-up.
“Athletes come through here all the time,” said Mitchell. “Even after they go pro, they still slide through from time to time. I’ve cut Russell Wilson’s hair, Terrell Manning has been here, C.J. Wilson, a bunch of guys.”
Within the coming months, the owners of the Groom Room hope to be able to open up a new shop close to campus, after their current location is torn down in December. The barbers at the Groom Room want to stay active with the N.C. State community and are looking forward to being able to inform students of the future of their shop.
“We appreciate the love that the students and athletes show us. We’re working on finding a new location and when we do, we want to make sure everyone knows,” said Mitchell.
