When Diligence Meets HOPE in New Orleans

Kevin Davis, Sr. graduated from barber school in 1990 and opened his first barbershop the same year. Two years later, he opened a second location, and both flourished. That wasn’t enough for him, though. In 2005, he purchased a third location and started preparing the space for a barber school. Then the hurricane hit.

Parkside Barber, the first location in the 7^th Ward had light damage; the second, Parkside Barber & Beauty on Gentilly Boulevard had roof damage and some flooding; but the third location, next door, stood eight months later abandoned and begging for attention. It took about two years for Davis to rebuild and would’ve taken longer had it not been for Hope Credit Union and the Louisiana Small Business Grant and Loan Program. The program provided capital to businesses to rebuild after the storm. While many lenders participated in the state’s small business loan recovery program, HOPE was one of only a few lenders that approached the work through the lens of community development.

“A friend of mine told me about HOPE,” Kevin says. “My first experience (with them) was for rebuilding the business, where they give you $10,000 and the rest in loans” he says “I’m real diligent, so I wasn’t going to stop.” Thanks to HOPE, in 2008, Park Place Barber School was the first barber school to open East of the river after the storm.

Davis’ business not only brought vibrancy back to the area, he is also partnering with other nonprofits to make a bigger difference in the community. Students at Park Place provide regular haircuts for men at a nearby homeless shelter and for students heading back to school each fall.

Davis has plans to continue to expand his business and he wants to continue to work with HOPE.