Roseland barbershop burglarized amid coronavirus pandemic

CHICAGO - A South Side barbershop already hit hard by the coronavirus is now facing another setback after burglars busted into the shop early Wednesday morning.

The barbershop has been closed since mid-March, which means there has been no money coming in and because of the burglary, the business owner is now out another $2,000.

“They saw a person, a male suspect walking out the big, cracked hole,” said barber Alvin Owens.

There was a gaping hole in the front window of Brian Keith Grooming Lounge, which is located in the Roseland community. A burglar broke the glass with a brick at around 2:19 a.m.

“Television, tools, and equipment,” Owens said when describing what the burglar stole.

Besides replacing the equipment, barbershop owner Brian Ewing also has to shell out about $500 to replace the glass.

He says the burglary at his barbershop hurts emotionally.

“We give back to the community so to see that, it was like whoa, us out of everybody? It was sad,” Ewing said.

It could not have happened at a worse time, as the coronavirus has put the business on hold. Ewing even applied for micro-business relief.

“I’ve heard nothing back at all,” he said.

Kesha Levy – owner of Keystylist Salon in Chicago –has been a hair stylist for more than 20 years. She has had the same problem when it comes to applying for relief. She’s never hearing back.

So, she decided to create a GoFundMe to help beauty industry professionals like Ewing.

“My goal is to give each person that needs relief or needs PPE. I want to give each professional one-thousand dollars each,” she said.

To donate, search Kesha Levy on GoFundMe, and if you know anything about the barbershop burglary, you are asked to call police.