Atlanta barber shop Superior Cuts reopens
If you’ve noticed — quietly and with little flair — O’Kelley’s Barber Shop has opened again in downtown Atlanta.
Not the late J. R. (James Roy) O’Kelley’s barber shop, the one going for 33 years before his death in 2016. But at least it is a barber shop and in the same location. Superior Cuts is a beauty shop as well.
Superior Cuts is Meika Sasser’s new business, and she is delighted to be here. But first, more about J. R. and the location. Its a rather well known story.
J. R. O’Kelley was a barber and more. He was an Atlanta city councilman and local sports referee known locally by just about everyone.
When he died that left Charles Peacock as downtown Atlanta’s only old school barber, meaning a barber shop with name and store front. Then Charles retired. No youthful or even elder barber seemed available. A lot of towns are beginning to be in this kind of a fix.
With Meika’s arrival, all is different and all is the same. She’s a barber as well as hair stylist, and she’s waited at least 12 years to have a shop of her own.
And so she says emphatically, “I’m open for everyone. I like to do men’s hair, and I’m a kid whisperer … me and the kids get along.”
The new business at 114 William Street, with its black and white stylish interior, expresses a new concept. Meika, who did the remodeling and decoration herself, wants it to be “not too girly for men and not too untidy for women.”
Many of J. R.’s customers have returned to Meika. The question is whether others will come.
First, let it be said, no one could really take J. R.’s place. He often liked to talk as much as barber.
Cliff Fields, a customer both of J. R.’s and Meika’s, came recently at his appointed time. Perhaps his experience answers that question.
“I’m sitting in the same seats with Meika that I did with J. R. I see no reason to change. Meika does a good job,” Fields said.
“There’s just one thing I’m not going to do. I’m not going to go to sleep here now. Sometimes with J. R., I’d come in after working overtime at IP, and I’d be tired and a bit sleepy. J. R. was never in a hurry, so I’d just lean back and doze. All of a sudden, J. R. would kick me on the bottom of my shoe and say, real loud, ‘ Your turn!’ “
It seems, J. R., the high school sports referee, had no hesitation about enforcing the rules.
Meika’s new shop has a connection with J . R., even though she never knew him personally. J. R.’s wife, Nancy O’Kelley, comes here to have her hair cared for by Meika and has been doing so for years.
“In the past, I wouldn’t keep the same hair stylist, maybe just several months,” Mrs. O’Kelley said recently while in the chair and with a series of convincing smiles. “But Meika? I’ve been coming to her for a long time. She’s always the same. Good.”
Meika is as full of personality as J. R.was. To every request, she agrees and smiles. And she breaks no rules. She schedules everyone to come at a certain time, and most often there is no wait.
Once that customer’s hair is cut or fashioned and the lap sheet removed, Meika straightens and cleans up the area with a broom and dustpan she has handy.
Superior Cuts is stylish.
Meika has an ultimate goal. After having earned her cosmetology license at McLennan Community College in Waco, TX., she came to Atlanta and earned her instructor’s license at Texarkana College’s Cosmetology Academy of Texarkana. She wants to be a teacher of hair styling.
“I’ve always wanted to be a hair stylist, and now I want to work with those who have the same passion for styling as I do.
“Cutting hair is so much more. Cosmetology is the professional skill or practice of beautifying the face, hair and skin. It’s making people feel good. That’s why I get up and come to work every day with a blessing. I’m open for everything and everyone. I’m the most laid back person you’ll ever meet.
“I think that’s the southern part of me,” Meika concluded.
Even if new, O’Kelley’s barber shop seems to be in good hands.