-Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton, and sometimes Emmaus.

Welcome to the "Lehigh Valley With Love Podcast."

-All right.

All right, all right.

Welcome to the -- -Was that your -- that was your acting right there?

-Welcome to the "Lehigh Valley With Love Podcast."

Um -- -I'm your co-host.

-[ Laughing ] I'm your co-host, George Wacker, with our other co-host, Tyler Rothrock.

No, I'm sorry.

My allergies are, like, destroying me.

-George, the plan was to talk about allergies, and he decided to go with this Oscar-winning performance.

And I'm gonna scratch my eyes.

-That's what you do.

No, seriously.

-Do you have it bad?

What are you allergic to -- pollen?

-I have read -- -You read?

-What's weird -- no, this is actually true.

I'm not gonna fake this.

I never had allergies until, like, two years ago.

-Really?

-And then all of a sudden, it's, like, you -- apparently, I have reached the age where your body's just like, nope.

-We're not dealing.

-It's horrible.

-Yeah, I -- -You can't do anything.

-My allergies have gotten better.

-Really?

-They've improved.

Yeah.

-Do you take anything?

-No.

No, I don't.

I don't take anything.

I used to, like -- It used to be where I would itch my -- like, I wouldn't be able to open my eyes.

People would -- like, I would cross people on the street.

People would be, like, "That guy's on drugs."

-I went to -- -"Something's up with that guy."

-I was so, like, it was so bad.

-Mm-hmm.

-I was like, "What is going on?"

So I take, like, the regular Claritin.

Doesn't really help.

-Uh-huh.

-So I had to go and get those, like, you have to go to the pharmacist.

-Yeah, yeah.

That's... -And you bring him the card.

-Like a prescription, yes.

Everybody -- -No, no, it's not.

-We do know how doctors work here.

-It's not a prescription.

It's the stuff with the Sudafed in it.

-Okay, yeah.

-You can't, 'cause you'll make meth with it if it... -Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Those are the two options -- you can cure your allergies.

or make meth with it.

-Like, was there somebody at one point -- It's, like, "I will take 40 boxes of Sudafed."

-100%.

-"I'm very sick."

-That's 100%, how it goes.

We gotta guess it, man.

-Well, I can see -- Well, I can see why they do it 'cause I felt great.

-Yeah.

-But you can't do that for a long time 'cause it's, like -- -Before George incriminates himself, we're gonna welcome our guest today.

We are joined by entrepreneur, basketball star -- still basketball star -- Jon Escueta, everybody, owner of City Cuts Barbershop in Kutztown, Pennsylvania.

Thanks for coming in.

-Thank you, man.

My pleasure.

My pleasure.

-Jon has gotten some, well, international recognition.

-Yeah.

-Because he started an initiative where you pay kids to read.

-Right.

-Would you pay George to read if he came?

-He would pay us, yes.

-Like, I will read "War and Peace."

-Let's start with picture books.

-Well, what's neat is, the first time I learned about you was literally from, like, CNN, which is interesting.

-Yes.

Oh, you learned about him before you knew that -- -Yeah.

-Yeah.

-It was, like -- 'cause it was an interesting story.

I mean, no matter where it happens, it's an interesting story.

And then it's, like, Kutztown, PA.

-Mm-hmm.

-I'm, like, "Hey, I know where that is.

-And from Allentown.

He went to William Allen.

What -- So, when did that start?

When did you guys start?

-Can you, like -- for people who aren't familiar with it, can you kind of describe what the program is?

-Well, it was pretty much to try to get kids to read or sort of like an interaction with the barber, first and foremost.

We want them to kind of learn the skill of speaking to people, you know, not being afraid of what others are thinking, so that interaction first.

-Mm-hmm.

-And then, once they get comfortable with reading, obviously, there's a group of people there, so not realizing that there's a bunch of people watching them, you know, so you kind of practice public speaking in a sort of way.

-Right.

-But not deliberately, like, in your face.

-Right, right.

-So that's what the whole goal was -- to kind of get them comfortable enough so that they can read in front of an audience or in front of a group and not worry about it.

And the $3 is just pretty much the incentive for them to, "I want to read."

-[ Chuckling ] Yeah.

-Yeah, $3 for a 5-year-old... -Yeah, I'd take it.

-...is, like -- -That's a lot.

That's a lot.

-Well, how did -- how did you -- -That's candy money.

-When did you get the idea?

Like, what -- -The $3?

-No.

Well -- -Oh.

-Just in general, like, everything.

-Um.

-Yeah, and how did you make it exactly -- Like, $4 is too much.

$2's not enough.

-$2's too little.

$4 is too much.

-They have like 13 6-year-olds.

They're like, "How much would be good for you guys?"

"$3."

-Well, we figured, you know, $1 is for saving.

$1 is for spending.

-Okay.

-And $1 is to kind of give it away, someway, somehow.

-I like that.

-Alright, I like that.

-That's how you should live your live.

-Speaking of the guy with Taco Bell sauce on his shirt.

-I thought we weren't gonna talk about that.

-No, now, you call me out, I'll call you out, man.

-But did you, like -- Were you like, "Hey --" Did you have kids coming in, and you noticed they were shy?

-No, it pretty much came from coaching basketball.

-Okay.

-I was coaching basketball for about 4 1/2 years at a program at Allen called the Little Canaries.

And you know, starting off, they were very scared or just not wanting to communicate with each other during the games and practices while on the court.

But off the court, goofy, laughing with each other, talking like they're all friends.

But then, when it's time to let the players know, like, this is what needs to be done, you weren't relaying that to each other.

Like, they're more of, like, afraid, kind of.

-Speak their mind kind of thing?

-Whatever it was, you know?

Like a leader type of thing.

-Right.

-Just, "Nah, I don't want to do that to my friends.

I don't want to tell my friends what to do" type of thing.

So we prioritized that.

You know, we kind of picked one by one, like, week by week so that we relayed the message to them.

And then they had to be, like, a mini coach in front of a group of people.

So they're standing up -- everyone's looking at them.

-Oh, wow.

So you make them, you know, give the game plan.

-Right, right.

Or, you know, postgame talk or pregame talk, whatever it was, or a play.

We kind of did that with them.

And they improved, you know -- not everyone, but, like, bit by bit, improved, like, each and every week.

And when it's in games, it was a little more easier.

Communication was there.

You got kids yelling, and it was just more fun.

So I figured, "Why not bring it to the barbershop with a younger audience?"

So by the time they get to the seventh- and eighth-grade level, it's a no-brainer.

-Mm-hmm.

-Alright, I did it.

-Did it immediately catch on in the shop?

Did you...?

-Uh.

-Was there -- The first time you -- How did the people -- how did the kids find out that there was an opportunity to earn some money reading a book?

-Well, I mean, you know, taking a video of it.

Well, first, I just wanted to kind of show other kids that other kids are doing it.

-Mm-hmm.

So that's why I took the video, not knowing that it was gonna go viral or anything.

I just wanted other kids to see, like, "Oh, he's a 3-year-old or 4-year-old, you know, reading, and he's not scared."

So you can do it -- if he can do it, then you can kind of do it, so that's how -- -When you put that video -- I mean, you said viral.

Like, it went viral, viral.

-It's as viral as I've ever seen anything go viral.

-Were you -- Were you surprised?

I mean, you kind of have to -- Like, I've put some stuff out there that has done okay, but you have to -- you're full -- -Like a camel walking down 22.

-Yeah.

-That's the... -Yeah, that... -But no, but, like, I know when it's, like, wow, this is really -- this is going well.

-Yeah, it's something, yeah.

-Like, was your phone melting?

-I mean, when you're on CNN and it's, you know, or wherever else, too.

-I mean, it definitely was unexpected, you know, not knowing -- we were actually on vacation, me and Jerry, the manager at the barbershop.

First day in Mexico, you know, I get a notification on my Facebook.

It's, like, 100-something pluses.

I'm, like, "What's going on?"

I look at the views.

It was like a million.

-[ Chuckles ] -A million, and then, like, you know, tons of messages come through.

Then the next day is like 2 million.

-Oh, my God.

-Then 3 million, then 4 million, 5 million.

-You're, like, "We should probably go back to work."

-Well, I mean -- -Who's at the shop right now?

[ Laughter ] -But we closed down the shop for the week.

-People are knocking on the door.

They're, like, "You guys, we're trying to get some --" -They're like, "Hey, you planned your viral video."

-"Can you Venmo me $3?

I've been reading outside all day."

-There's kids with books -- "Let me in!"

-Well, it was crazy, 'cause, when we came back, that's when it kind of hit us.

Like, this is reality.

Like, newspeople -- News media outlets was coming, talking to us, calling -- you know, Instagram was going big, and Twitter was going big, too, after that.

It was just everywhere.

It was just -- I mean, we're grateful for the opportunity, more kids kind of, like, learn about it.

And hopefully, they will do it at the end of the day.

-So after this all, like, got really viral, you know, did you see a lot of fresh new faces of people coming in or...?

-Especially with the kids.

-Yeah.

-You know, the kids who had problems with, like, reading or a speech impediment -- their parents wanted to bring them in to kind of help with the issue -- not solve it, obviously, but just help that, you know, other kids are doing it.

So, if they can see that, if other kids are reading it, then they shouldn't have a problem.

Even if they were, like, pronouncing words a certain way, we can help 'em out.

-Does the same -- it kind of goes with you.

Like, didn't -- You came from the Philippines when you were 8.

When did you learn English?

-Well, pretty much right there in school, you know?

-In the Philippines?

-No, no, no, here.

-Yeah, yeah.

-As soon as I came here.

-You came here -- you didn't know English?

-None.

-Zero English?

-Well, I mean, yes and no, maybe, you know... -[ Chuckling ] Oh, my God.

-This is, like -- 'Cause English is so difficult, and then it's, like, "Here you go.

We're gonna put you in a city school, and good luck."

-Well, it's a lot harder 'cause, you know, here in America, there's a lot more slang.

-Sure.

-Yeah.

-So different words mean different things, also.

And coming on, you know, for a whole different experience, a whole different world, it was just, like, I was more quiet because, obviously, I didn't want to speak.

They wouldn't understand me.

-Right.

-And I didn't want to get made fun of as a kid.

-And you're 8 years old?

-8 years old.

-What grade is it?

-2nd.

-2nd?

You came here in 2nd grade, not knowing the language.

How long did it take you to acclimate to the American education system, like, where you were comfortable?

-Well, I definitely had some ESL classes, too.

-Yeah.

-You know, to help -- That kind of helped.

I'd say about like two years, two, three years.

Like, fifth grade, I was kind of more comfortable.

-Well, it's just like -- it blows my mind because, like, I remember in 5th grade, you know, I'm doing whatever.

I'm not trying to learn an entire new language.

-No, that's what's crazy to me to even fathom.

Like, if you dropped me in a different country right now, as a 31-year-old, I wouldn't be able to do it.

-Yeah, it's a lot harder when you're an adult.

-Do you think back to that time in your childhood when you're, you know, helping some of these kids out?

-Well, yeah, definitely, you know?

My experience is kind of what started this, too.

Like, I was just very shy, not very outspoken, you know, unless I'm playing basketball.

That was kind of, like, where my outlet was.

You know, it was an outlet for me.

I was happy playing basketball.

-You grew up in Allentown.

-Yes.

Me and Jon -- I can attest to this -- me and Jon played AU basketball together, and I was intimidated by Jon 'cause he was, like, this really good guard from Allen, and I was this slow -- I could maybe make a jump shot, from Nazareth, and, you know, but then, you know -- -He's the guy you elbow when he's running backwards?

It's like your only... -No, but that was, like, our -- we talk -- we keep in touch with our teammates, and, you know, we made, like, friendships.

-But I don't know much about, like, high-school basketball.

-Uh-huh.

-But I remember Ray Barbosa, like, those teams back in -- Is that the time period?

-About early 2000s.

Yeah, early 2000s.

Yeah, that was really good memories back then.

-Yeah, 'cause I was working for a newspaper in Allentown at the time.

No, it was huge.

-Right, right.

-'Cause all anybody was talking about was Ray Barbosa.

I'm, like, "This guy must be really good if I just keep seeing his name all the time."

-Yeah.

But I remember we were in -- we went to -- or AU went to Nationals, and John was cutting -- I don't think -- this is when you first started getting the interest to be a barber, right?

-Yeah, definitely.

It was just something new to me.

I first started cutting my little cousins, a few friends here and there.

And I figured, why not bring it down there for the whole week?

We were there chilling, and I get some practice in.

-Is cutting hair still the passion?

Like, do you still love that?

-Yeah.

-Even with all this other attention, all this other stuff going on?

-Definitely, that's the work, you know, that I feel like you have to kind of want to wake up and do what you want, you know, and to make it enjoyable.

-Mm-hmm.

-So, basketball is one, and then, you know, barbering kind of became my passion through that.

-Yeah.

-'Cause I look at it as an art.

-Yeah.

-So... -I think it's -- not everybody is suited for, like, what you do.

-Right.

-But, like, to do the entrepreneurship, to be a success, and then to give back to the community.

-Yeah, yeah.

-Like, that's what makes, I think, your story -- nobody's telling you, "Hey, you have to do this.

You have to..." -Well, I've been up at his shop.

What's -- The address is...?

-126 West Main Street, Kutztown.

-And you have a lot of college kids that come out.

-Right.

-And it's an environment.

And, like, you've created this environment where sports, and it's like a barb-- it's like a shop.

-Right.

-People are playing... -Xbox.

-...Xbox.

-And the loser has to do push-ups.

-Right, right.

[ Laughter ] Yeah, you know, there's always an incentive or something.

You know, you can't just win all the time.

So if you do lose, you gotta pay for it.

Yeah.

-And there's, like, conversations in barbershops are, like, famous, you know.

-Right.

-Is that something -- how do you guys -- what is it about a barber's relationship with the person who they're cutting their hair -- What is it that, like -- that's like one of those relationships where I've -- -I've gone to different barbers because it was, like, uncomfortable.

-Bad, yeah.

-Yeah.

'Cause this is like a thing.

-I'm, like, "Wait, are you gonna start talking?

Do I have to initiate this?

What are we gonna talk about?"

-No, it's our job to kind of get you to open things up, you know?

And it's our job to ask you questions to get a feel for how your day is going, you know?

How do you want your hair to look, or what are you going for?

Any special events, weddings, birthdays, kid birthday parties, corporate events, you know?

It's our job to make you feel welcome in there.

-Yeah.

And then, with this, the reading program, have you noticed that your barbershop is where these kids want to come back to?

-Yes, definitely.

On the other side for them reading and getting the $3, it's a cool place for them to hang out.

You know, we make 'em feel like they're -- -Not judged.

-Nah, nah, never judged.

-Are there any, like -- what's the most popular book?

-Dr.

Seuss'.

-Dr.

Seuss?

Good.

-Yeah, yeah.

Dr.

Seuss' books.

-That was my next -- authors have reached out to you, too?

-Really?

-Yeah.

-I didn't know that.

-And you gets books sent to you from all over the place.

-From all over, yeah.

-Have you had any authors, like, come into the shop, or is that something down the road that you'd be open to?

-Yeah, definitely, we'll be open to that.

but we had Andre Reed come down.

-Oh, yeah?

-He read a book.

-Okay.

-Yeah, we put it up there.

We had people from, like, New Zealand send books.

-Wow.

-New Zealand and Australia.

-It's just amazing to me, like, when something like that happens.

The world is so huge, but it's so small.

-It gets small when something like that goes viral, right?

-Right.

-Is anything on the horizon?

Like, more next steps or other cool programs that you guys are thinking about doing?

-No, we're just waiting for us to move to the front of the shop... -Okay.

-...with a bigger barbershop with more barber chairs, putting a basketball hoop in the back, you know, for the kids to play on.

I want it to kind of be like a hangout.

-Yeah.

Yeah.

-A positive hangout, rather than negative hangouts.

-Well, I think it's easy for some -- for some kids other than others to not have, like, positive male role models.

-Yeah.

-Right.

So when you see -- when a kid can see something that you're doing, and you're getting rewarded from it, and you're happy, and that kid sees that, then they think, "Wow.

So, wait.

If I'm a nice guy, and I do the right thing, then I don't have to, like, do all those horrible things."

-Right, right.

-Our goal is to pretty much to walk out with a smile, for them to walk out with a smile.

You know, if we can make somebody's day by giving them a great haircut, or just making them laugh or talking about something, then we did our job for the day.

You know, 'cause 15 to 20 minutes is a pretty long time.

And if you're quiet, it can be pretty uncomfortable.

-Yeah.

-You know, for both of us.

-What's your go -- What do you go to the -- What do you tell them?

Like, just... -Dude, I am so bad at this, man.

Like, I've -- I keep my mouth shut.

Even now when I know it's -- I wish his shop were closer to here, 'cause I would only -- there's times where, like, I'm in desperate need of a haircut, so I'll -- -And you don't want to go 'cause you don't want to -- -I'll go somewhere, and I won't name names, but it'll be happening.

I'll be, like, this is gonna -- this isn't good.

I'm gonna have to deal with this.

-You know where they give it to you, and you're like, "It's not -- it doesn't look good."

You're like, "Looks great."

[ Laughter ] -Yeah, they give me the mirror.

I'm, like, "Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah."

All right, I'm gonna call Jon and go up there and have him fix it.

Do you ever have to fix people's mista-- -A lot, a lot.

-But what's, like -- What's the cool haircut now?

I got that hard part the one time.

-Not yours.

The hard part.

-Like, when they, like... they shave in the thing.

-I can't see you with... -I got that, and then I got home.

Like, I looked like I'm trying to be 25.

-Your wife was, like, "Dude, you gotta shave it."

-She's, like, "Oh, that's great.

Did you get that in middle school?"

I'm, like, it's all the kids -- -I think that's kind of phasing out now.

-Oh, good.

See, now I can rock it.

-I think that the World Cup really made that big.

-Okay, yeah.

-The World Cup in 2016 was -- -Do you do that thing where they, like, they shave the eyebrows?

-We can do that.

Yeah, we can do pretty much anything that you ask for.

But I think the trend now is pretty much just like a high, tight fade with, like, a textured top, that uneven look.

-Uneven look.

Yeah.

-You don't do, like, the things on the side?

-The lines on the side?

-Yeah.

-Yeah, you could do that.

-I'm gonna go up there and get them.

-What about your beard?

We could do something with the beard.

-Dude, I might go up there and get, like -- -You got it.

-You give me what the kids are rocking.

-Oh, I would love -- we would video that.

-Clean face.

Why won't Tyler cut your hair?

-Yeah.

Let me cut your hair.

-No way.

Are you kidding?

-Oh, man, come on.

-Tyler with scissors.

-I'll fix it.

-He'll fix it?

-'Cause I've gone to -- like, when your hair gets longer, I've gone to, like, instead of a barber, you go to a beauty salon, right?

-Mm-hmm.

And then I feel like I'm cheating on my barber.

I'm so sad for, like, the rest of the day.

-Can you judge a haircut?

Can you be, like, aww, man.

-Yes, I can see -- usually my regulars, if they go to someone else, and they come back.

I'm, like, I know that's not my work.

I just know.

-"Where, uh... Where have you been?

Where you been, buddy?"

I see you're..." -I usually -- A lot of 'em will, you know, fess up, and be like, "I had to go somewhere.

You guys were too busy."

Not surprising now, 'cause, like, we're way too busy.

So our regulars are going somewhere else.

-Yeah, I mean it's a good problem to have, but it's interesting, 'cause there is a couple barbers, even the ones that I look at, and you try to get a -- 'cause you can do it on -- some of them you can do online now, and they're booked for, like, a week.

Like, that's... -Yeah.

-I'm like, I'm really happy for them -- that's great.

-Yeah.

-But I need to get in there.

-I have guys coming in every week.

-Really?

-Yeah, you know, they want to look fresh.

-Man, what are they doing?

Like, what are they doing?

They're coming and getting their hair every week -- -College kids looking good, you know, you want to go out.

-Yeah, I guess.

-Do you see things, like, in the -- are you -- like, in popular culture, where you're like, "That might be a haircut that's gonna catch on"?

-Well, going to barber events, you know, what we see now is the European style -- like I said, it's the textured stuff.

-Mm-hmm.

That, I think, is making its way over here.

Not necessarily in the Lehigh Valley yet, but you would see -- -What is that -- What is that like?

-Textured?

-Yeah.

-It's just uneven.

Like, you could actually just go with scissors and just shears and just go crazy and style it a certain way, and that's the look.

But it's nicely faded on the side.

-Uh-huh.

-So that's what I think, coming on this way.

-Coming on this way?

-How many haircuts do you give a day?

Like, 15?

-Average, yeah.

-15?

-I don't know.

-Yeah.

We average about 15 heads a day.

-In your trade, and when you're -- maybe you're the process of hiring new -- -I'm actually training one, a barber student now.

-Oh, yeah?

-Yeah.

-In that process, is it -- like, how does that -- how do you train somebody to fill your -- not fill your shoes, but -- -Right.

-You do a good job, yeah.

-Well, first and foremost, I want to know if they have the passion for it.

-Yeah.

-'Cause I want them to wake up, and, like, "I want to do this.

I want to learn how to cut hair.

I want to be good at it."

'Cause if you don't have a passion for something, then it's a waste of time, I think.

-Oh, sure, yeah.

-You know, you're just waking up, be like, "Ah, you..." -If you don't want to be here, why are you here?

-Right, and, you know, you got that look on your face like, "Ah, this is boring," or, "I'm not interested."

-Mm-hmm.

-But first and foremost is that passion.

Once you have that for it, I think everything else takes in place.

You know, you want to work and learn about it -- you want to study videos and, you know, just be around barbers in the culture.

-Yeah, and how do you -- how did you figure out the formula -- 'cause you do have the passion for cutting hair, but, also, you have to be -- you're an entrepreneur, too, and there's a lot of things that you have to do that don't involve cutting hair.

-Yes.

-And did you have to learn that as you go?

Like, what would you tell entre-- like, somebody that wants to start their own -- or just anybody that wants to start their own small business?

-Say, "Don't do it.

It's very stressful."

-Well, now, the thing was, I started at 20 years old.

-Uh-huh.

-So while I was working at Red Lobster, I kind of knew how to run a business from that aspect of corporate event.

You know, they were doing it the right way.

I saw about customer service, you know, first and foremost.

If they're not happy with the food, take it back, bring a new plate -- whatever the case may be.

So I knew that from there, and bring it into the barbershop.

First thing first is, make them happy.

Whatever they want to, you know, to make 'em come back.

And the next thing is just having to wake up and want to do it.

-Yeah.

-You know, and there's nothing better feeling for somebody who's getting a haircut and, like, "This guy knows what he's doing."

-Mm-hmm.

-"He has a passion for it.

I know he's gonna give me 110%."

-Well, besides your -- the hair that grows over your ears, have you ever had to, like -- did you ever cut your own hair?

-Yeah, I mean, I think I've, like, cut my own hair.

Actually, it was so -- I had this story -- I was in middle school.

-I have one, too, from sixth grade.

-And I wanted -- I had, like, bangs, and I cut my own hair.

And there was -- actually, it was for picture day.

There's a... -Oh, my God.

-There's a picture in a yearbook, and it's, like, you -- and I -- I went in -- -I hope you have it 'cause it'll pop up right now.

-I'll definitely send the picture.

And it's, like, very obvious that I whacked maybe an inch and a half off.

And then, I remember I froze, and, like, that was not good.

-So we have to go deeper.

-So I just went -- Then I had to go to school... -Oh, man.

-...and take the pictures.

-But what was your thought?

Like... -I don't know.

I thought maybe I'd spiced it up.

-I have no experience with this.

-The uneven look.

He was going for the texture.

-Yeah, he's a man ahead of his time.

-I'm ahead of my time.

But, yeah, there's a picture in my yearbook where -- -I was in, like, sixth grade, right?

And I took my dad's razor.

I'm like, "I'm gonna -- I'm gonna try to, like, edge out."

I don't even -- I don't even know what I was doing.

But I'm like -- I thought I could, like, make my hair shorter.

Like, the razor goes down to the skin.

-Yeah.

-Of course, I didn't really -- -That's very short.

-Yes, so I did it.

And I'm like, "Well, that was horrible.

Bad thing."

So my dad sees it, and he's like, "What the heck did you do?"

Sits me down and shaves the sides of my head all the way around, and then that was, like -- -You just had hair on the top?

-Yeah.

I don't think there's any -- there are no photos from this time period because, like, my mom was embarrassed.

She was, like, crying.

-I'm not gonna lie to you, George.

That would give me nightmares seeing your face with just a little -- -Just this hair on top.

-This little, like -- -And it's shaved down to the skin, 'cause when I made the mistake, I went down to the skin.

-Why didn't he just shave everything?

-I think we -- I think we talked about that.

-We discussed that, yeah.

-And it was just, like, "Yeah, let's go with the sides."

-"No, let's let him learn his lesson by making him look like a crazy person."

-I came to school.

People were like, "What are..." I'm, like, "Oh, man, it's the new style.

It's from Europe, you guys.

It's not here yet."

-Can you cut your own hair?

Do you ever cut your own hair?

-Yeah, not anymore.

-Yeah?

-You know, I'm bald.

-Oh.

-So get a shave in.

-Yeah.

-Let the other guys practice on me.

-Do you -- I also can't do gel.

I couldn't -- I can't ever do gel on my hair.

-I use -- I've graduated to, like... -Pomade?

-Mousse?

-Pomade.

-That's the next big thing.

-Yeah, yeah, gel.

I remember I did -- I overdid it with gel when I was a young kid, and I got made fun of all day, 'cause... -What did you do?

-'Cause this thing -- You could have -- You could have chiseled up concrete with my hair that day.

I put literally a half a bottle of gel.

I remember putting -- like, every 30 minutes, I'm, like, "That's not enough gel.

I'll put more in."

I put more in it.

-Geez.

-And it was just like -- boom.

-Do you know what my favorite -- remember when fauxhawks were in style?

-[ Chuckling ] Fauxhawks, yeah.

-For, like, a summer?

-Yeah, yeah, yeah.

-I loved that.

That was my favorite.

-You loved that?

-Yeah.

-What about the man bun?

-The man bun is kind of getting phased out, too.

-It's getting phased out?

Good, good.

That's good.

-Well, I was never -- I mean, I guess I'm okay with it.

But it's, like, if you have long hair, you know -- -You ponytail it.

-You got to... -Yeah.

-Ponytail it.

The ponytail is an effective use of putting your -- The man bun is just for show -- the ponytail's for go.

-Well, here -- This is a real -- like, this is actual -- I need some advice.

My daughter is gonna be 3 in July, and we've never cut her hair.

Like, so her hair goes down to the middle of her back.

And she's gotta get a haircut, 'cause she looks like a wild -- -I think she should do the one your dad gave you.

-Yeah.

-That's what I think.

-But she looks like a wild, you know, a wild child.

There's hair everywhere.

Do you have advice for, like, a parent the first time they're bringing a kid in?

-Yeah, how do you deal with that -- first-timers?

-'Cause, I mean, she's gonna be 3.

Like, she can sit still for a while, but, like... -We try to let 'em know that, like if, say, you would come in, you know, let 'em get used to the environment first before they're even thinking about getting a haircut.

Kind of introduce them first rather than just bring 'em in.

It's a whole new world with, like, clipper sounds and -- -Well, they think they're gonna get hurt or something.

-Right, so, but if they see other people getting it done, you know, it's comfortable in here, then they're more willing to do it.

-Yeah.

-But we do have first-timers that do come in, and it's tough, but if we make 'em smile, put something on the TV that they like... -Mm-hmm.

-...it's a little easier.

You know, "PJ Masks" is definitely a big thing for kids, like, 3, 4 years old.

-Right, right.

-But those are a little easier for them.

-What's -- how old can somebody -- And I joked about it earlier.

I think George is too old to read at the shop.

But what -- do you have -- What are the ages that you allow -- -We -- As young as 1 years old.

-You've had 1-year-olds?

-Yeah, well, they don't read, obviously... -Yeah, yeah.

-...but they just look at the animals, kind of just get, like, a little bit of detail of what they, you know, want to perceive, look at the colors, the letters, and stuff like that.

But as old as I think it's -- 15 years old was the oldest, and that was just recently.

-And do you get feedback from them?

Do you get letters saying, "Hey, man, this is really starting to change my life, you know?

I'm more confident.

I'm..." -We had a kid -- his name is Isaiah.

He had had problems with school, you know, picking wrong friends, hanging out with the wrong people, but getting bad grades.

So his dad came to us and was telling us about it.

So we're more like a big brother to him, like, kind of, like, "No, that's not the right way to go."

-Mm-hmm.

-You know, "Those friends are not gonna be with you if you do get in trouble.

You know, you're by yourself all the time -- you're by yourself in the principal's office -- you do get in trouble."

So, after a few talks, you know, he turned it around.

He was actually in, like, I think in Honor Roll now, A's and B's.

-Wow.

That's awesome.

-And every time he comes in, he has to give us a report on what's going on.

-Yeah.

-So he's been positive ever since.

-That's awesome.

-That's great because there's not, you know -- it's tough to have kids, like I said, don't have those role models, but it's tough to be that role model, you know?

-Mm-hmm.

-Right.

We want success stories coming out of the barbershop.

-Like, I care about you, yeah.

-Right, you know?

We want kids to do well, 'cause you don't know -- they might be the next president or, you know, mayor... -Right.

-...whatever kids want to be.

-So for -- for people to find out more information and all that, so if I wanted to find out more, how do I find out more about your -- obviously, you can go to Kutztown and visit, but if I want to, like, look it up.

-Definitely on my Instagram page and Facebook page, it's just City Cuts Barbershop.

That's where I pretty much kind of handle as much as I can for, like, a broad, general area.

And if they can, if you want to call us, 484-646-9699 is our business phone.

You can reach us that way, and, you know, or send us an e-mail, citycutsbarbershop@gmail.com.

-Cool.

-Awesome.

-Well, Jon, it's a privilege, man.

-I'm coming up.

I'm gonna get that... -Yeah, we're gonna do that.

I'm gonna cut your hair.

-I want to get those eyebrow things.

I think they look really cool.

-I'm gonna give you that -- I'm gonna give you that retro -- I'm gonna bring that hairstyle back that you were... -I think Tyler should shave your beard.

-I'm gonna -- I'll give you a choice right now.

-I could -- I wish I could just grow a mullet.

-We'll make a bet.

We'll make some kind of bet.

Whoever -- Whoever loses has -- gets to cut the other person -- or gets their hair cut by the other person.

-Ooh, yeah, we can do that.

-I'll do it.

-You want to do it?

-I don't want to, but I'll do it.

-What should the bet be?

-Who's winning the NBA Finals?

-Oh, that'll be -- that'll be long done by then.

-Yeah, it'll be done.

-What about -- Ah, we'll think of it.

-Well, we'll figure it out.

All right, well, thank you so much for coming in.

-Of course.

-We really appreciate it.

-Yeah, that's awesome.

-And congrats, man.

-Yeah.

-Thank you.

Thank you.

Appreciate you for having me and, you know, thank you.

-Yeah, sure.

-Thank you for watching this episode of "Lehigh Valley With Love Podcast," filmed at the PPL Public Media Center at PBS39.

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