LEXINGTON, Ky. — Brandon Reed, who co-owns Mill St. Barbers with Amy Green in the downtown area, started cutting hair about 15 years ago after spending summers with his grandma in her barbershop.

What You Need To Know

  • Gun violence in Downtown Lexington has been a source of concern for business owners in downtown Lexington

  • Brandon Reed with Mill St. Barbers says that shootings have had an impact on his business and it's an issue that often gets brought up by his clients

  • A meeting between business owners and city officials has taken place to voice concerns and try to come up with solutions to the problem

  • The Lexington Police Department is taking measures to deal with gun violence in the area

“I was in there all the time, started selling candy out of there and just got a liking for the culture and the way barbershops ran and I don’t know … decided I wanted to be one,” said Reed.

When Reed was 18-years-old, he began working in different barbershops around the city. Because of the uncertainty with the pandemic, Reed and Green opened up their shop on June 1, 2020.

“Business has been good since we started,” said Reed. “Obviously the first year, coming back from being shut down, people not knowing if, you know, it was safe and what not. It was a little bit different and a little bit difficult, but overtime, we’ve gained in customers and a good reputation. It’s allowed us to fill our books pretty consistently.”

Gun violence in the downtown area has impacted Reed’s customers and their decision to visit his shop. He says shootings happen at least once a month.

“We’ve lost a certain amount of them although we’ve been lucky to gather others, but you just, you hate to lose any,” said Reed about his customers.

This can be especially difficult for Reed because of the relationships he has formed with his clients.

“It’s like losing a friend for sure when you lose a customer,” said Reed. “You get close to them. You know, you watch their kids grow up when they bring them in, you hear all of their stories, all of their worries and concerns, you grieve with them, you be happy with them. It’s a unique experience that a lot of people don’t get to experience and it sucks to have to give that up at times.”

Reed is not the only business owner in the area that is concerned about gun violence. Sean Ebbitt, the owner of The Bluegrass Tavern, which is walking distance from the barbershop, has voiced his concerns with city officials.

“I’ve been involved in a group of kind of downtown business representatives and as well as the mayor and city council to talk about kind of solutions to downtown,” said Ebbitt.

The Lexington Police Department released this statement in regard to what action is being taken to address what has been discussed in those meetings: “Our Central Sector patrol officers, Downtown Entertainment District Unit, CLEAR Unit, as well as other units will have a presence in the area. Overtime shifts are also being offered for officers to work. The Real-Time Intelligence Center will be used if and when an incident occurs to assist investigations.”

“I think that, you know, as long as we keep striving for more and have a continual police presence downtown that will, you know, be something that’s a positive for everyone,” said Ebbitt.

That is a sentiment that Reed and Green with Mill St. Barbers also share.

While the police shortage continues to be an issue that the department is trying to address, in that same statement Lexington Police said they would prioritize staffing to ensure those areas of down are staffed appropriately.

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