DeKALB | A haircut can mean the difference between a second date and no date; it can give someone confidence or it can do the opposite, or it can even be a way of expression.

Tomneé Muhammad thinks a haircut is important. Muhammad is the proprietor of RT Beauty Supply and co-owner of T’s Barber and Braiding Shop, 138 S. Second St. Tomneé Muhammad attended cosmetology school at Chazap Inc. Barber College in Chicago and is a graduate of Lewis University with a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts.

Northern Star: What made you want to become a barber?
Tomneé Muhammad: Because I wanted to cut my own hair first of all. When I went to college in 1993, I left my barber back home so it was like “Who’s going to cut my hair?” So I started to cut hair and liked it. From there, it became a side job for me. So if I ever needed money, I’d cut hair at school.

NS: Why did you decide to open a barber shop in DeKalb?
TM: Because there was a need for one based on how the population keeps growing every year.

NS: What’s the best thing about your job?
TM: I get to make my own decisions.

NS: What are some of the features that set you apart from other barber shops?
TM: The services. We do all textured hair, we use razor blades, we do graphics and designs, and we use certain tricks that set us apart from the others.

NS: What kind of tricks?
TM: We blend techniques differently then others. Say if you are going bald in certain areas, we know how to cover that temporarily if someone were to be going out.

NS: Do you hire students or have students interested in what you do here?
TM: No, but I have had students who have been interested in how things function. Say if they’re business majors, I’m always open to help them.

NS: Anything you would like to add?
TM: One thing I’ve been enjoying over the past years is getting involved with a lot of campus groups. I just signed up for and recently gave $80 worth of haircuts for the NIU Telefund. I’m also looking forward to trying to work something out with the NIU basketball team, because we get the coaching staff in here all the time. So I want to do like a sponsorship with the team as well.

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