“A lot of people have focused on building their own business, but I think you can do that while also giving out a helping hand within the community.”
A Co Down man has opened up his own barbershop after returning home from living in Australia, where he learned his trade. The barber shop, named LOCAL., has been opened with the intention of helping to create a sense of community within the local business scene in Banbridge.
Levi McCauley, 29, lived in both Australia and London while training to become a barber for the past seven years, and has described his excitement about returning home to open his shop.
He said: “I wanted to work in different places around the world and gain more life experience, as it’s a different kind of style of barbering in Australia.
“Whenever you go and work in these different places, there’s a lot of different variety and styles and different people. You get to work with a lot of different types of people and learn from them, which is such a rewarding experience.
“It’s not too different from being a chef. Chefs move all around the world and work in different places, they take different skills from other barbers and other mentors, and I think that’s very important in any industry.”
Now with LOCAL., Levi hopes to bring back the international skills and lessons he learnt in Australia and London to Banbridge.
He continued: “Working throughout the world and bringing back little things that I’ve learned to Northern Ireland feels very special.
“Over the next few months when the barber shop is opening, I’m going to be doing different collaborations with other local businesses.
“I think it’s really important to spread the news about other peoples’ businesses, and not just my own.
“A lot of people have focused on building their own business, but I think you can do that while also giving out a helping hand within the community.
“It’s so important to support local. I grew up in Banbridge, I went to school there. I want to keep building a sense of community where I’m from.”
Levi also said the sense of community is enriched by the different people you can speak to everyday.
“When you’re a barber, you get to speak with different lads every day, and in a way the barbershop can be a bit of a safe haven for boys, where they can get away from anything that they’re doing and relax for half an hour. I love being able to provide that.”
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