Troy Staton’s journey with hair cutting is reminiscent of traditional karate tales, with a learner journeying from one master to another, learning their expertise. Barbershops, according to Staton, are more than just businesses; they are cultural landmarks. In his research, he emphasizes the importance of barbers and beauticians post-slavery, emphasizing their role in the success of many notable Black personalities. Art was used to embellish the walls of New Beginnings not only for the instruction of children, but also to enrich the community. This art endeavor grew into the LuvsArt project, which features top African American artists. Staton’s concept, however, grew. He cooperated with Kaiser Permanente after recognizing community needs, including health inequities in the Black community. Starting with 117 screenings at New Beginnings, the campaign quickly expanded to five locations, reaching almost 5,000 screenings prior to COVID-19.

This concept gave birth to More Than a Shop (MTAS), a thriving network of 12 barbershops and salons located around the city. MTAS has become a communal haven, addressing health disparities, food scarcity, literacy, and other issues in collaboration with groups like as Kaiser Permanente and the Enoch Pratt Foundation. Their initiatives vary from offering Wi-Fi to bridge information gaps to boosting sexual-health awareness among youngsters, overdose prevention training, and even safe medication disposal. With the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, MTAS altered its strategy. They’ve worked on a tiered vaccination plan with the CDC Foundation, concentrating on understanding community hesitance and guaranteeing vaccine accessibility, reflecting their commitment to health screenings.