Head of the class: Bloomfield barber gives free back-to-school haircuts for children
For Emmanuel “Manny” Torres, barbering is about more than giving someone a haircut.
It’s a higher calling.
“I feel my purpose in the world is to help people,” said Torres, 30, just before he started giving free haircuts to children on Saturday. “That’s a big reason why I got into barbering in the first place. I get to help people every day, whether it’s just being a ear for someone to vent or to give advice or making them feel better about themselves with a simple haircut.
”I feel like God gave me the gift to create with my hands and the purpose to help.”
Torres was channeling that gift at his first back-to-school haircuts for children ages 6-14 event. As founder and CEO of Fade Lab Studio in Bloomfield, he and his disc jockey Ryan Ballard, known DJ Hypnotik, collaborated on the event.
Barbers Aaron Barclay, who works at the shop, and Tiffany Black, who came in to help for the afternoon, also donated their time.
Black, of Midland in Beaver County, said she participated in the event because she wants to learn different cuts and eventually wants to cut the hair of children with special needs.
“I love the trades,” she said of barbering. “I am a hands-on person and barbering is perfect for that.”
Barclay said it’s about giving back.
“I am part of the shop, and this is a way to give parents a little break at the beginning of the school year,” he said.
Torres said this time of year can be challenging for parents trying to get the youngsters ready for school.
He also treated the children and their parents to hamburgers, hot dogs, chips and beverages.
Now that he owns Fade Lab Studio, which opened in 2023, he was able to do something to give back to the community. Before he opened the shop, he commissioned Pittsburgh-based muralist Dejouir Brown, who goes by Jouirnoe, to design the interior.
The message across the wall of the shop in brightly colored spray paint reads “Welcome to the Lab.”
For the event, Torres’ fiancé, Amber Liggett, created balloon décor of purple, green, white and black. They’re getting married in September, with Ballard as their disc jockey. Ballard, of Pittsburgh’s South Side, said he had seen Torris’ Instagram post when the barber shop opened.
Being a dad, Ballard talked to Torres about doing such an event.
In addition to traditional haircuts, Fade Lab Studio barbers specialize in hair designs and beard trimming. It offers hot towel services, beard oil, and branded apparel for purchase.
A child’s haircut is $30.
“It only makes sense to give back to the community,” Torres said. “Barber shops are about community. A community of people helped me get to this point in my journey. And I am grateful.”
Torres has a tattoo that reads 2 Samuel 22:33. That is for the Bible verse that says: “It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure.”
Torres said he became interested in barbering from when he watched his father, Jesus Torres, cut other people’s hair. The young Torres has been a barber for 15 years.
“I just picked up that skill watching my dad,” said Torres, who grew up in Moon Township and lives in West View. “When people get their hair cut, they feel good because they look good. Barbering is about the transformation of it all.”
Fade Lab studio is located at 506 S. Millvale Ave. in Bloomfield.
The first youngster in the chair was Max Peluso-Hoffman, 6, of Bloomfield, a first grader at Environmental Charter School. He and his parents, Natalie Hatcher and Jaymes Peluso-Hoffman, heard about the event when they were leaving the nearby Bloomfield Saturday Market.
“This is amazing,” Hatcher said. “We were just talking about him getting a haircut.”
Torres took his time with Max, showing him the barber clippers and engaging with the child. Max shared with Torres his love of dinosaurs.
“It’s cool,” Max said after the cut.
Next in the shop was Oliver Skurman, 12, a seventh grader at St. Edmund’s Academy in Squirrel Hill. He said he heard Hypnotik’s music. He asked Barclay for a fade. A fade is a precise blend of the hair in different styles in low, mid or high.
Oliver’s mother, Natalia Skurman, said this is such a tough time of the year to get a haircut scheduled.
“We are so busy this time of the year,” she said. “So this is wonderful.”
Giving back to the community with free kids’ haircuts is important to Torres, he said, because he knows it will make the kids’ day as they’ll be getting a fresh new look for the start of the school year.
He said he knows that transitioning back to the school year can be hard on parents financially, so he was hoping their child receiving a high-quality cut in a fun, unique environment will lighten the load.
Oliver was pleased.
“I can feel the energy and vibe of this place,” Oliver said. “The D.J. was cooking. I really like the haircut.”
Torres said he might make this an annual event.
“There is a science to barbering,” Torres said. “It’s an art form, and it’s about consistency and having clients trust you.
”It can be hard for families this time of year with back to school and if I can make kids happy this will also make parents happy. It feels good to have your haircut. It is in my heart to do things like this.”
JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a TribLive reporter covering the region's diverse culinary scene and unique homes. She writes features about interesting people. The Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist began her career as a sports reporter. She has been with the Trib for 26 years and is the author of "A Daughter's Promise." She can be reached at jharrop@triblive.com.
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