Greenwood Bottom barbershop keeps history alive

The faces of James Harrell and his wife Nellie look out at cars zipping by on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. The mural, which spans one side of the building, was painted to commemorate the family that opened the barbershop in 1965.

The mural also depicts Macon legends Otis Redding, Little Richard and James Brown.  The three musical icons frequented the Greenwood Bottom neighborhood, which was once the heart of a thriving Black community. 

Inside Harrell’s & Son’s, Brandon Harrell cuts hair in the same shop as his grandfather 60 years earlier. 

The barbershop has solidified its place in Macon history. Little Richard performed at the nearby historic Roxy Theatre, and James Brown was rumored to have visited Harrell’s & Son’s. 

Since then, folks have forgotten about Greenwood Bottom, Harrell said. A once lively community of Black businesses and entertainment gave way for deteriorating roads and empty storefronts. 

“We’re the last thriving business (in Greenwood Bottom) since the ‘60s that’s still up and going,” he said. 

His uncles ran the barbershop before he and his cousin, Daude, took over the business. They now have a second location off Pio Nono Avenue. 

Harrell, who grew up in Atlanta then moved to Macon in 2004, said his family’s shop is a staple within the community. 

Although he was only 5 years old when his grandfather passed away, he left behind a legacy of family, community and love — words which are now painted along the shop’s walls. 

Harrell didn’t expect to fall in love with the art of barbering but now works to honor his grandfather’s legacy and one day pass the torch to a new generation of barbers, like his 16-year-old son.

“This is a barbershop where you can bring your whole family,” he said. “We operate out of love.”

Authenticity and trust, Harrell said, are what has kept the business alive for so long. The key is to “embrace the people.”

“You gotta see yourself in everyone,” he said. “I think if we all do that, the world would be a whole lot easier.”

The barbers who work at the shops are part of the family, too. Most were friends or family members before joining Harrell’s & Son’s. 

Gilly has worked with Harrell since he was 18 or 19 years old and is now in his 30s. 

“To keep it going, you gotta stay dedicated to what you do,” Gilly said, reflecting on the barbershop’s longevity.

The Harrell family has cut generations of hair. 

“What greater joy for you to say, ‘Hey, I want you to cut my son’s hair, and then, it keeps going, going and going,” Harrell said. “I think it’s pretty cool for a generation of family to entrust in your services for that long.”

His grandfather, James, once said everything he did was for his children’s children. Harrell hopes to keep the barbering tradition alive and see an era of revitalization for Greenwood Bottom.

“We have to create our own momentum to make things happen,” he said. He now owns seven storefronts in the area for rent.  “Truthfully, all the noise has really been made by just us.”

MLK Jr. Boulevard needs infrastructural changes like more lights and speed bumps, he noted, but the challenge is finding community partners willing to invest in bringing back Greenwood Bottom’s rich history.

“I want to see people walking around,” Harrell said. “I want to see a thriving community.”