HOUSTON (KIAH) — What once started as Solo Cuts along Cypress Creek Parkway is now growing into a new barbershop that fosters community, entrepreneurship and mentorship. It’s called, ‘Exclusive Fadez.’

Created by owners Peter Smith and Zacchaeus Henry, the duo came up with the barbershop idea after Henry took Smith’s class at Eisenhower High School. Smith is a 30-year educator and teacher at Eisenhower in the Aldine Independent School District.

What started as a conversation with former student, football player and now Master Barber, Henry, turned into an opportunity for young people to find inspiration and get training for their new businesses.

“Some of our kids are really not prepared to go to college. Some of them don’t really want to go to college. So they need to have an opportunity to get entrepreneurship, let them own it,” Smith said. “I knew as a barber shop, we can put in 2,3,4,5,6,7,8, 9,10 people, bring them in, teach them all the steps from the LLC from developing the business, because with the individual booth rent, they’re gonna be able to create their own companies.”

Henry has been cutting hair since he was 13 years old. He says having Smith as a mentor helped turn a dream into a reality. This space is only the beginning. Smith and Henry say the goal is not only to have a space to get a nice cut, but to create classes and a space for young people to get guidance from other mentors while they figure it all out.

“Working with Smith, he kind of already had that hustle and driving me but I didn’t have that mentorship, that guidance and he’s so hands on where he kind of helped me step by step on Just basic assistance and discipline. Just go hard on one thing. So this has been a nine month build out process so ever since 17 days after I graduated high school, I’ve been here every day,” Henry said.

Exclusive Fadez will have its grand opening on May 4, 2024. To learn more, visit the Instagram page @exclusivefadez.barbershop.