Downtown barber back to work with boarded up windows

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A downtown barber has reopened after being closed for nearly four months, but, after protests turned violent, his reopening looked different than he imagined.

DR Barber Salon was lively Tuesday despite the boards covering the space where the windows should be at 133 E. Ohio St.

Derrick Richardson said he made the mistake of thinking because he is a black, small-business owner that his shop wouldn’t be touched. Now, he’s hurting for everyone in his situation.

“To think that one of ours done something like that to a small business and a black business, no, it’s not OK, period, point blank, because any business we have, we work hard for it.”

Similar to several downtown business owners, it could be some time before Richardson’s windows are replaced. He said after losing money during the coronavirus pandemic, he couldn’t afford to stay closed any longer. Marion County health officials had kept barbershops and hair salons closed through June 1 to stave off COVID-19.

News 8 also spoke with Timothy Stucky, who works downtown. He said he doesn’t support looting or rioting but he encourages protests and hopes the boards over the windows serve as a reminder of change he says needs to happen.

“I definitely think that it makes you check your own privilege and sort of your own experiences that you have the ability to not go through life with the same sort of fears and anxiety that others do,” Stucky said.

Richardson believes in the two years he’s been open that some things have changed for the better. However, he now fears the violence may have pushed the city a step in the wrong direction.

“I already had to see if I was going to face different issues of racism or whatever but for the most part it has been good, then, boom, this happened.”

He said he hopes good conversations continue and the city can move forward.