Strands of Love: A Four-Generation Black-Owned Barbershop
It is a brisk fall day in 2017. Charleston Collins Sr. is with a customer. Bespectacled and dressed in a black jacket, he snips, chops and combs with a purpose, as if his life depends on it. Family photos line the walls of the 50-year-old barbershop, and a family chatters about the latest happenings in the neighborhood while waiting for their turn. Signs on the walls reflect the culture of the place, like "Absolutely no foul language" and "Keep your pants pulled up.” Fluorescent light bounces off the smooth, black leather chairs as well as the barber's intense furrowed brow. The door opens. He relaxes his brow and looks up.
"How are you doing, young lady?" he softly greeted me. The master barber — Mr. Charleston as I call him — is unaware of my mission to document his life’s work over the next 12 months.
In 1970, Carlton Collins Jr., Mr. Charleston's father, opened the first Collin’s Barber Shop on Fayette Street in Syracuse, New York. In 1983, Collins Jr. and his wife, Juanita Collins, purchased a house at the corner of South Crouse Avenue and Fayette Street. Soon after, Juanita started running a beauty shop upstairs, so the barbershop was renamed Collin's Barber & Beauty Shop. Mr. Charleston, their youngest son, began working at the shop and learning the family business at the age of 24, after working in Allwash of Syracuse, Inc. for two years, which is a company removing hazardous waste.
When Carlton passed away in 2014, Mr. Charleston continued to maintain the safe and respectful space his father and mother worked so hard to nurture. In fact, it is his emphasis on relationships and attention to detail that has earned him a loyal core of longtime customers.
But Mr. Charleston's connection to his community reaches far beyond the walls of the barbershop because he genuinely cares about people, especially about the next generation. He serves as a deacon at Central Baptist Church and teaches in its children’s ministry. He supports local youth as a volunteer coach at Inner City Little League, a position he's held for 22 years. He gives complimentary haircuts to people in need at shelters, churches, and other nonprofit organizations. Mr.Charleston is a mentor, a father figure, and a good friend.
The time of quarantine brings me back to Syracuse, New York. Juanita Collins, the matriarch of Collin’s Barber & Beauty Shop and someone who I called grandma, peacefully passed away in May 2020. She was survived by four siblings, three sons, 16 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren.
LEFT: Ga’verri Jones-Collins, Charleston's grandson, 11, sits for a portrait below an air-brush painting of his great grandfather.
RIGHT: A comb Carlton and Juanita purchased in South of The Border, South Carolina, while traveling.
RIGHT: A comb Carlton and Juanita purchased in South of The Border, South Carolina, while traveling.
A 1980s photo of Carlton and Juanita Collins hangs inside the barbershop in the same spot it was taken.
The barbershop, at South Crouse Avenue and East Fayette Street, is around the corner from the site of the original shop. After Carlton passed away, Common Councilor Helen Hudson renamed the spot “Carlton Collins Corner,†honoring the family's significant role in the community's history.
Charleston works on Linda Donaldson, a high school friend he has known for 40 years.
Recently hired "clean-up man," Julian Davis, 17, often plays chess with Charleston during breaks.
Charleston prepares to work on Domonic Hill, 36, who has been a barber there for one year.
Charleston sharpens his razor between customers.
For six years, Linda Donaldson, 54, has been a customer of both the salon upstairs and Charleston's barbershop, depending on her hairstyle at the time.
Juanita chats with longtime customer Ricky Jenkins while Charleston shaves his head.
Customers wait their turn while Charleston works at his father's old station and chats with Todd Sullivan, a volunteer with the Chinese-American Friendship Association, which partners with Charleston's church.
Charleston Collins Sr. trims his own beard one morning while waiting for customers.
The barbershop's hallway provides access to the beauty shop upstairs.
LEFT: Mary Collins, Charleston’s wife, 57, continues her mother-in-law Juanita’s business by running the beauty salon upstairs.
RIGHT: The oldest curling iron Mary inherited from Juanita.
RIGHT: The oldest curling iron Mary inherited from Juanita.
Mary Collins has been running the beauty shop for 27 years. Here, she curls a customer's hair using an old-fashioned iron that Juanita gave her.
A painting of Juanita hangs on the wall in the waiting area of the beauty shop, honoring her 15 years of work there.
While waiting for her hair to dry, Dorothy Reed jokes with Mary, who has been her only stylist since Dorothy moved from Florida in 2002.
Charleston gets ready to do a hot-towel shave on his last customer of the day, Michael Battle, a longtime customer.
Bill Hines, 70, who has been friends with Charleston since he became a customer 24 years ago, checks out his new haircut in the mirror.
LEFT: Charleston Collins Sr., 57, sits at the work station he used for 33 years until moving to the one his father previously occupied.
RIGHT: Charleston’s oldest hair clipper.
RIGHT: Charleston’s oldest hair clipper.
Charleston and Mary hosted a baby shower for their oldest daughter, Tanisha Williams, who is expecting her second child.
Hundreds of Collins family photos fill the table and walls of his childhood living room.
Charleston and his four siblings grew up in the house on Clarendon Street where Juanita currently lives.
Anthony Williams and his daughter, Ariya, check on her mother, Tanisha Williams, after she delivered her and Anthony's newborn son, Mason.
A nurse transfers Mason Williams' footprint onto a birth document.
Charleston has stayed with his mother every Sunday and Wednesday since his father passed away in 2014. Here, they watch television together on a Sunday night.
Charleston cooks breakfast for his mother every Monday and Thursday morning
and has done so since his father passed away.
and has done so since his father passed away.
After dinner, Juanita relaxes at the dining table, where she spends much of her day reading the Bible and where she keeps daily necessities within easy reach.
Juanita takes 17 types of medication every day. Charleston carefully sorts her doses in a weekly pill organizer.
Juanita recalls her 61 years of marriage with Carlton in the bedroom they used to share, which they decorated in their favorite color.
Juanita, who has difficulty walking, takes the chairlift downstairs as she leaves the house for church.
For decades, Juanita has been saving Valentine's Day chocolate boxes she has received from Carlton, Charleston and other family members.
Robert Reed // Interviewed on October 17, 2017
Philips Mwre // Interviewed on October 17, 2017
Linda Donaldson // Interviewed on October 19, 2017
Rickey Jenkins // Interviewed on October 20, 2017
Shari Powell // Interviewed on October 20, 2017
Henry Melchor // Interviewed on March 27, 2018
Reverend Eddie M. Kirkland // Interviewed on March 27, 2018
Andrew Stroman // Interviewed on April 18, 2018
Marcus Butler // Interviewed on April 18, 2018
Kenneth Black // Interviewed on April 18, 2018
Stephen Pride // Interviewed on May 26, 2018
Ron Anderson // Interviewed on May 30, 2018
Anthony Walker // Interviewed on May 26, 2018
Andrew Joyed // Interviewed on June 3, 2018
Joshua Ivey // Interviewed on June 1, 2018
Charleston, Mary and their youngest son have been attending Central Baptist Church for about 19 years. Juanita became a member there four years after Carlton passed away. Here, Charleston helps her to the car after a Sunday service.
Ga’verri Jones-Collins attends a Sunday worship service with his grandparents, Charleston and Mary.
Charleston attends a men's Sunday school session.
In addition to the main sanctuary, the education center at Central Baptist Church is used for Bible study sessions and classes every week.
Charleston cuts hair for Syracuse youth at the second annual Mid-year Replenishing and Refueling Event, hosted by People's African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church.
James Rivers, 63, a maintenance worker at the Emma L. Johnston Southside Family Resource Center, jokes with barbers during the One Haircut at a Time event.
Charleston provides free haircuts for 30 people at the One Haircut at a Time event, supported by the local Pi Chapter of Latino America Unida, Lambda Alpha Upsilon Fraternity at Syracuse University and P.E.A.C.E., Inc, a nonprofit community-based organization in Syracuse.
During "Children's Church" at Central Baptist, Maya Jenkins, 11, tastes different sauces for a lesson about getting to know God.
After getting a haircut at the second annual Mid-year Replenishing and Refueling Event, a young customer makes a thank you card for Charleston.
Charleston explains Bible verses to Tamar Mason, 11, who dreams of becoming a preacher.
Charleston, who volunteers as a coach at Inner City Little League, gives the Mountain Lions some tips at Papa's Sports' Full Count Batting Center.
Charleston, who has been a volunteer baseball coach for 22 years, gets ready to receive a pitch.
Charleston hands out T-shirts to his players and reviews the game schedule with their parents.
The Miami Dolphins have been Charleston’s favorite team since he was 10. He gave his son Tenell Collins this helmet as a Christmas gift, but he still keeps it at his work station.
Charleston reminds his players how to properly swing during a break between innings.
Charleston and his players pump themselves up before a game.
Tahjere Dowdell, 12, throws a few pitches to catcher Ga'verri Jones-Collins between innings.
Assistant coach Joshua King high-fives his players before they shake hands with their opponents after winning the game.
After Carlton passed away, Charleston and Mary realized that loneliness is a problem for the elderly, including their mother Juanita. They now regularly host cookouts and other events for senior citizens in the community.
Guests gather for lunch at Comfort Tyler Park in Syracuse for this year's senior citizen cookout, as Charleston and Mary prepare food for the crowd.
LEFT: Juanita Collins, 84, sits below family photos in the living room of her house.
RIGHT: The first dollar Carlton Collins Jr. made at Collin’s Barber Shop.
RIGHT: The first dollar Carlton Collins Jr. made at Collin’s Barber Shop.
Juanita enjoys spending time at the barbershop when the weather is warm. Meanwhile, a brand new apartment building is under construction across the street.
Juanita Collins, the matriarch of Collin's Barber&Beauty Shop, peacefully went home with the Lord in late May, 2020. The casket of Juanita inside a hearse is seen through the stained glass window of the Central Baptist Church in Syracuse, New York, where Juanita spent her late years worshiping the Lord.
Families and friends come to see the deceased at Garland Brothers Funeral Home in Syracuse, New York, while the funeral home staff rest after they prepare for the viewing session.
Juanita Collins' son, Terrence Lunorris Collins, 61, along with his sons, Terrence Lunorris Collins II, 33, and Chris Kendal Collins, 26, cried as they view the deceased at Garland Brothers Funeral Home in Syracuse, New York.
Juanita Collins' son, Terrence Lunorris Collins, 61, and Juanita's grandson, Terrence Lunorris Collins II, 33, comfort each other outside of Garland Brothers Funeral Home in Syracuse, New York.
Juanita Collins' great-grandchildren and Tyson Juanary Collins's children, Juanary Tyson Collins (left), 2, and Kadija Kadijra Collins, 3, wait along with other families and friends before the funeral service at the Central Baptist Church, Syracuse, New York, where Juanita spends her late years worshiping the Lord.
During the funeral service, Juanita's grandson, Terrence Lunorris Collins II, 33, is embraced by his girlfriend, Alexandra Reedy, 25, at the Central Baptist Church in Syracuse, New York.
Juanita Collins' daughter-in-law and Charleston Lemont Collins Sr.'s wife, Mary Jean Collins, 58, holds a bouquet of lilies after the funeral service at the Central Baptist Church, Syracuse, New York, as she watches the hearse leaving the church.
Families and friends, including Juanita's younger sister, Mae Rose Richmond, 81, pray before lunch is served in Juanita Collins' house on Clarendon Street in Syracuse, New York, following the funeral service.
Families and friends carry Juanita Collins' casket to the Oakwood Cemetery in Syracuse, New York, for the burial.
Juanita Collins' youngest son, Charleston Lemont Collins Sr., 58, sits in the bedroom of Juanita and his late father while memorializing his mother. "We moved (to this house) when I was in the second grade, and my brothers and I all grew up in this room in a bunk bed Charleston says, There were a lot of memories that are still on the wall in this room, and it actually ended up being the same room where (my mother) spent her last day," Charleston says.
Juanita Collins's great-granddaughter and Tanisha Williams's daughter, Ariya Love Williams, 4, watches as the casket was interred at the Oakwood Cemetery in Syracuse, New York, during the burial.
Paying his last respects, the funeral director placess dirt on the casket as the casket dropped at the Oakwood Cemetery in Syracuse, New York, during the burial.