A barbershop is a place to get a haircut, but to Reggie “The Barber” Moss, it is also a place where the community can come together.

Moss is the owner of Fresh-N-Up Cutz, which opened its doors on Jan. 4 and is located at 1500 Yellowleaf Road (behind the Winn-Dixie shopping center) in Clanton.

Cutting hair is nothing new to Moss, who has been in the business for 15 years, including the past two years in Clanton.

“When you get a haircut, it changes you,” Moss said. “You get in that mirror, and you can’t get out.”

After years of gaining experience, he made the decision to venture out on his own and open his own shop.

“I always had a dream to open up a barber shop and to be my own boss,” Moss said. “This is my own.”

Over the past 15 years, Moss has developed several relationships, which he has leaned on to help fill his staff of barbers.

The shop currently has four barbers, including Moss, and still has room to grow with three more available chairs.

Haircuts and conversations both take place at Fresh-N-Up Cutz. (Photo by Anthony Richards)

Moss first discovered that he had a talent for cutting hair in high school. He was a member of the football team and began cutting the hair of his teammates and coaches.

“I never thought it would be a career, until I figured out that I had talent in these hands,” Moss said. “It’s a gift, and I’m not going to let it go to waste.”

According to Moss, a haircut can play a role in helping change a person’s attitude. It can restore a person’s self-esteem and possibly even change their outlook on life.

“Barbering is like a ministry,” Moss said. “You never know what a person is going through when they sit in that chair,” Moss said. “People will tell you their whole life.”

Moss has aspirations to one day become a celebrity barber.

“Everything comes through the barbershop,” Moss said. “People go to the barber shop as an outlet to get away from their problems. They may not even be getting a hair cut, but just want to be around and feel the vibe.”

Prices range from $10 to $25, depending on the style of hair cut and whether it is for adults, children or senior citizens.

The shop opens at 8 a.m. Tuesday through Thursday and 7 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Closing time varies depending on each day’s clientele, but is typically between 6 and 7 p.m.

“It all depends on how things are going,” Moss said. “If we’re busy, we’re going to cut until they stop coming in.”