"there’s a lot of small things behind the scenes that people don’t see. They just see the clippers, but there’s a lot of other little things that add up.”
Currently Dom is the only barber in his shop, it won’t be that way for long. He wants to hire other barbers and hopes to inspire the next generation. And why stop there? He would like to see Black Hills Barbershop expand to multiple locations and ultimately help his brother own his own location. Being in downtown Rapid City is a dream location for Dom. Like many businesses in the area, the recent pandemic created a lot of uncertainty for this young business owner. Black Hills Barbershop has only been open for two years. While he was not forced to close his doors, Dom had made the choice to keep his customers safe by closing with the rest of the Rapid City business community. While many businesses were able to keep cash flowing by offering services through curbside, to-go, or virtually, that wasn’t the case for this barber. When you aren’t cutting hair, you aren’t making money. “It’s not like I could do a haircut through Zoom or something,” he laughs. Fortunately, for Dom, Elevate Rapid City created the Bridge Loan program.
Dom was one of more than a dozen businesses that received a Bridge Loan to help cover expenses during a time when businesses were shutdown. “You couldn’t prepare for this, no matter how much money you have,” Dom states. “I’m really grateful for the Bridge Loan through Elevate Rapid City because it definitely helped me stay open.” Entrepreneurship comes with risk and reward, and not without a lot of hard work and creativity. Dom is young and passionate about what he can offer the Rapid City and surrounding area. Dom shared that “there’s a lot of small things behind the scenes that people don’t see. They just see the clippers, but there’s a lot of other little things that add up.” It’s safe to say that Clucas has far surpassed his days in the garage. His drive and passion for the Barbershop culture will ensure the people of Rapid City have the perfect place to go for a fresh fade, hot shave, or maybe just some banter.
"I want this to be the barber shop of the Black Hills."
blackhillsbarbershop.com // 605-209-7116 516 6th St. • Rapid City blackhillsbarbershop
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E L E VAT E R A P I D C IT Y JUNE 2020
