Sixty years of haircuts on Stockton Boulevard are being celebrated over the next two months as the Master Barber & Beauty Shop showcases a photography exhibit highlighting the barbershop environment.

Called “Hairitage,” the photos by local artist and photographer Gerry “Gos” Simpson give insight into not only the hair-cutting aspect of the business, but the role of the barber shop as a communal gathering point.

“Taking these photos took me back to my first haircut,” Simpson said, adding that one photo of a young boy getting his hair cut sticks out in his mind. “Young men come here and get their first haircuts, their dads slip them a few dollars to tip the barber, and they learn the basics of business.”

Image by: Gerry "Gos" Simpson

The exhibit, which features more than 20 photographs out of the approximately 2,000 Simpson shot since late August of last year, will open March 3 and run through April 28.

At times using a standard lens, Simpson said he often opted for a telephoto lens to allow him to trespass on the process of those getting haircuts, essentially removing himself from the equation.

“That allowed me to get close-up shots without being close,” he said, adding that all the people in the photos gave him permission to photograph them.

Image by: Gerry "Gos" Simpson

“The barber shop is a place where people come to discuss everything from religion to politics to family and their girlfriends,” said Rodney Brown, whose family has owned the shop since 1974.

Brown said that, with documentation of the shop being open as early as 1952, it is one of the longest-running independent businesses in the area, and some say that it was open even earlier, in the 1940s.

Over the past quarter century, Brown said, the shop has had to innovate to stay relevant, adding a beauty salon portion in 1989 and making it a center for the arts over the past few years as the economy flagged.

“It’s a hub,” Simpson said. “They host community events, they have art shows, they have music performances and poetry readings.”

Brown said about 80 people recently came to a workshop on how to get a job with the state of California by BASS – Black Advocates for State Service.

An opening reception for the show from 4 - 7 p.m. March 3 will feature poetry reading from 9-year-old Lil Ro-Ro, a local poet, and live music, though what musicians will play has yet to be confirmed.

Mary Brown, whose late husband, Earlie, took over the shop in 1974, said that working with the community has long been a part of the shop’s culture.

“He used to go deep-sea fishing and come back with salmon,” she said. “We’d barbecue them out front and offer some to whoever came by. That’s important to keep going.”

Master Barber & Beauty Shop, located at 4340 Stockton Blvd., is open from 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and from 9 a.m. - 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. It is closed Sunday and Monday.

Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow him on Twitter @Brandon_Darnell.