The Art of Hollin Hall Barbershop
When Art Blakey was in the military, he cut hair. So when time came to talk to his dad about potential work after the service, the advice he got was to do what he had already been doing well. So, he enrolled in the Richmond Barber Academy where his instructor’s parting words upon Art’s graduation were: “Barbering can be good for you. Remember that.”
“I have been at the Hollin Hall Barbershop for 44 years, but it only took me a few of those years to figure out that my instructor got it right," Art recently recollected. "Barbering lets you build relationships with people in a way few other professions do. Those relations keep you going, even when you’re my age."
The Hollin Hall Barbershop, located at 7944 Fort Hunt Road, has been a community fixture since it opened its doors in 1952 in the first section of the Hollin Hall Shopping Center, and Al has been the lead barber and store manager for many of those years.
