Taking Care of Business
Business entrepreneur, K!M Lawson, has taken an everyday, American tradition—the local barbershop—and rocked it out! Because she’s all about caring for her customers, the barbershops offer easy-to-access, walk-in service; open doors seven days a week; and a full staff of experienced Barbers to provide exceptional men’s grooming.
Something to Talk About
“My biggest thing, and the reason I think our shops are successful, is customer service and of course, great haircuts,” said K!M. “We want to make everybody feel important, when you come through that door you’re recognized, you’re taken care of, it’s very important to us.” They have been recognized as one of the Top Ten Barbershops in the state and have won Lexington Life’s Best Barbershop for nine consecutive years. They are very involved in the community. They donate to charities, such as St. Jude, and participate in St. Baldrick’s each year. They support local schools, sports teams, and local concerts when they can. You will see their Rockstars at many local events.
We Are the Champions
The experienced team of professionals are trained in the fine art of Barbering. When you step into their exceptionally clean facilities, you get the Rockstar treatment from start to finish. Another reason the shops are successful is the dedicated Barbers. They want to be there, and you can tell they enjoy their work and where they work. When you sit in a Rockstar’s chair, you know you found your Barbershop.
Where Have All the Good Times Gone
K!M, who has been a business owner in Lexington for more than three decades, claims her diligence and customer-centric attitude took root during her youth when she began working at the age of 15. “I’ve always been a hard worker,” she said, “and I put 100% into whatever I do.” K!M channeled her entrepreneurial spirit into launching a delivery service, a precursor to today’s “DoorDash, Instacart kind of company,” she said. Then, she took a spin at the pizza business, which she had prior experience in. It was during those years that she first hired Amanda Brand. Although her pizza business thrived and grew to two locations, K!M wanted to investigate other career opportunities. K!M learned the fine art of barbering and earned quite a following. Soon thereafter, she learned about some barbershop owners who wanted to retire, so she bought their shop, the Bel Air Barbershop in Columbia. Although she kept the name, K!M breathed new life into the business when she remodeled its dated, smoke-stained interior
She Works Hard for the Money
Being the sole, female owner of an all-male, traditional barbershop did not come without its share of challenges. “Being there for 45 years and being old school like they were,” K!M recalled, “you never saw a woman come in that shop. It was all men, and they had been cutting generations of hair there.” “The first day I took over,” K!M continued, “people started coming in the door, and they looked around and saw a woman behind the chair and they walked out. I struggled, but I stayed with it,” she said. “My reputation grew, and after a while, the shop got busy and they were like, ‘Well, this is the best haircut I’ve ever had.’”
Don’t Stop Believin’
Within two years, K!M sold that shop and set her sights on working in the Lexington area. She purchased a shop originally founded in the shopping center once anchored by K-mart. After growing that shop for many years, K!M began looking for a new site to relocate the shop when she learned the large chain would be closing. “When the first Lowes Foods broke ground in Lexington, across from Lexington High School, I was like, that’s it!” she said. “That changed my whole world, going to that shopping center. I was able to expand and grow more than I could have imagined.” In 2017, the Lexington Barbershop opened in its new location, and the Rock ‘N’ Roll theme was born. A few years later, in 2020 they opened a second location, in the Three Fountains area of West Columbia. They now have over 20 amazing Rockstar Barbers who excel in the Artistry of Barbering.
It’s Still Rock ‘N’ Roll to Me
“When you walk into my shops, I hope you like rock ‘n’ roll,” K!M said. “I grew up in the ‘70s and ‘80s, the best genre of music.” The hand-picked décor includes some of my collection of guitars, records, CDs, and posters of famous musicians, and of course, rock music is playing in the background.” “We are busy, and we’re open seven days a week,” she said. When other shops were closed on Sundays and Mondays, they started the trend of being open those days.
That’s What Friends Are For
In 2018, Amanda Brand, K!M’s former employee from the pizza days, entered her barbershop, and by the end of their “hair-apist” conversation, K!M had invited Amanda to join the RockStar team. After accepting the offer, “Amanda started from the bottom, earned her barber license, and soon worked her way to Vice President of Operations. “Today, she helps manage the entire business and is an Ambassador for the Lexington Chamber of Commerce,” K!M shared. “She runs the shops exactly the way I would. She has brought in her own knowledge and creativity to help build the shops to where they are today,” she said.
Rock ‘N’ Roll Will Never Die!
The Rockstar Barbers encourage you to check them out at either of their two locations. K!M concluded, “Thank you, Lexington, for supporting LOCAL! ROCK ON!”
Lexington Barbershop
2440 Augusta Highway
Lexington, SC
803-356-6060
RockStar Barbershop
2916 Emanuel Church Road
West Columbia, SC
803-868-6060