Барбер из Ойбурна бесплатно стрижет детей и молодежь, чтобы повысить их уверенность в себе

Auburn barber making a difference one haircut at a time Published 10:45 am Wednesday, August 26, 2026 Clarence “Kiwi” Kinchen is an Auburn-based entrepreneur who continues to give back to his community. Specifically, he does so by giving kids and young adults free haircuts to alleviate the pressure of having to pay for something that builds confidence. He owns Tha Don Barbershop, 30 B St. NE, and has been there since February 2025. Kinchen has owned and operated his own business for two and a half years, previously working out of Tacoma before relocating to Auburn. “I’ve always been an entrepreneur since I was a kid and barbering kind of fell in my lap,” Kinchen said. Once he got his license, he spent his time training in barbershops across the state and at barber events in Tacoma, Las Vegas and Portland. “It just kept motivating me to keep going, so I kept going,” Kinchen said. His roots have been in Auburn for the last 10years and in reference to the city he called it “home.” Not only is Kinchen passionate about growing his own small business, but he puts a large amount of work into giving back to the community that surrounds him. He has worked with Auburn School District and organizations like the YMCA and the Boys and Girls Club to provide free haircuts for students. “I really have been giving out back to school haircuts every year since I started…I kept going, and it is a tradition to me now,” he said. And for Kinchen, it doesn’t matter if these events are able to compensate him and his business for their work. He commented on what inspires and motivates him to keep showing up to these events and give out free haircuts for kids. “They might not have it. And I know how it is not to have it. A lot of kids don’t have the money…and when you look good you feel good, the confidence comes up,” he said. “I know how it feels wearing the same clothes to school so the least I could do is give back in some way.” Although Kinchen works with several local organizations, he also decided to build up his own Back to School event at his barbershop. Last year he was connected with Auburn School District and received 150 backpacks for Tha Don Barbershop’s inaugural Back to School Drive. At this event, he gave out the 150 backpacks along with additional school supplies and free haircuts for students in the area. “It’s just an annual thing now,” Kinchen said in reference to the positive feedback he received from the event last year. This year, Kinchen is running the Back to School Drive again and hopes that it will be even more of a success this year. Tha Don Barbershop’s 2026 Back to School Drive is from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 30 at the barbershop. When asked what continues to motivate him to run events, Kinchen explained the exciting feeling of seeing someone’s confidence boosted with one of his haircuts. “I get the result of seeing somebody happy when they get out of my chair and I’m like I can’t stop doing this. This is too fun,” he said. Kinchen has aspirations to expand his business and open up more barbershops across the city. He also is interested in other business ventures as well. “I don’t want to give the whole business plan away,” he joked. Not only does he create a positive environment for his customers, but he does so for his employees as well. When asked how they feel about working in the barbershop, Kinchen’s employees referred to him as a “mentor” and a “role model.” “I love working here. It’s a different experience than any other shop. It’s not like any other shop, it’s like a family,” said barber Tavionne Ervin. “More so than anything, it’s just great vibes. You know, we can all be ourselves here.” Brandon Heck, also an employee of the shop, was 18 when he met Kinchen at the Boys and Girls Club. Kinchen was cutting hair at an event for the organization and Heck, now 22, has worked with him ever since. Heck commented on what it is like working with someone who consistently gives back to the community around them. “It warms my heart…I was one of those kids at a point in time,” Heck said. “The little thing that I can give back is a haircut.” Heck especially cares about building a relationship with the person whose hair he is cutting. He wants his customers to have a great conversation during the experience. “When we go to these events, my main thing is [to] make them feel great about themselves with a bomb haircut,” Heck said. Kinchen’s impact is clear. He is a mentor to the people that surround him, and he continues to create a positive environment for people to exist in. Currently, he is in school to get his instructor’s license to teach others how to cut hair and follow in his footsteps. Whether following in his footsteps means learning how to be a barber or how to be a positive influence in a community, both are a win. “Don’t wait for it. Go get it, because you waiting means you are also wasting time,” Kinchen said. “Listen to your heart and just do what you want to do, you know, time is limited.”