Etheridge Brothers Barber & Style

Willie and Joe Etheridge outside the original barber shop. courtesy BPL Archives

Etheridge Brothers Barber & Style is a family-owned chain of barber shops and beauty salons founded by Willie Etheridge Sr and his brother Joe.

The brothers started cutting each others hair as children on a farm in Safford, Dallas County because they didn't like the way their dad cut it. Willie moved to Birmingham in the 1950s and worked briefly as a timber hauler. He went to get his hair cut at the Jones Valley Barbershop and soon began working there. After Joe joined him in the city they worked together until opening their own shop in 1970. Joe began opening the shop early to accommodate laborers. Two other brothers, John and Theodore also began working as barbers in other shops, later joining the family business.

At its peak the chain had 11 locations in Birmingham. The family also owns a car-wash and detailing business and a catering company under the same Etheridge Brothers name.

Locations

• No. 1: 3312 26th Street North
• No. 2: 1601 3rd Avenue North, Downtown owned by Willie Etheridge Jr since 1992 (Adjacent Etheridge Beauty Nook owned by Wilma Etheridge Moore)
• No. 3: 3200 26th Street North
• 3409 Vanderbilt Road
• No. 4: 8308 1st Avenue North, East Lake
• No. 5: Eastgate Shopping Center, 1621 Center Point Parkway, Center Point
• No. 6: 3500 Cleburn Avenue Southwest, West End, owned by Winfred Etheridge
• No. 7: 3 Graymont Avenue North
• 4245 1st Avenue North, Avondale, owned by Joe Etheridge

References

• Solan, Matthew (October 29, 1999) "Brothers cashing in on cutting hair." Birmingham Business Journal
• Temple, Chanda (July 16, 2006) "At work, it's all relative." The Birmingham News
• Johnson, Roy S. (July 16, 2022) "Even in grief, Birmingham’s Etheridge family celebrates enduring legacy of Black generational enterprise." The Birmingham News

External links

• Etheridge Brothers website