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The Brooklyn Barbershop That Survived Three Pandemic Events
Crown Heights’ X-Clusive made it through West Nile, swine flu, and a crippling blackout — but coronavirus is another threat entirely
Update 6/7/22: Level has a new home. You can read this article and other new articles by visiting LEVELMAN.com.
Gerard Louisias Jr. was tired of waiting in long lines for a haircut due to the lack of barbershops in the area and was sure there were enough Black men who felt the same to start his own barbershop. It was December 1992, and he had never cut a single follicle of hair off someone’s head. X-Clusive Barbershop was born out of a desire of giving a community what it needed and deserved.
Every barbershop shares its DNA with its owner, and for X-Clusive, that’s Haitian-born Louisias. Referred to around Brooklyn as “Dee,” he embodies the staunch autonomy of a self-made man. He speaks with a gruff warmth and an arm wrapped around your shoulder, inching you closer to the wisdom being spoken.
“I treat every customer like a good friend,” he says. “I treat people with respect and always show concern about how their family is doing, how they’re doing. When you connect with people like that, you’ll always have a customer base.”
