The Barber of Little Jamaica Photo Essay

The Little Jamaica District in Toronto has many specialty services – such as this barber salon.

Click individual photos to enlarge and enter the Lightbox Gallery.

We are introducing a brand new series of Photo Essays! Have a look at amazing Photo Sets all shot by talented photographers. Explore the vibe of the city, its hidden treasures, meet the Torontonians! This time, let’s have a look at Toronto through the lens of John Steven Fernandez!

JC Hair Dresses & Barber is located on 1567 Eglinton Avenue

Eglinton West – A taste of Jamaican culture

This neighbourhood in Toronto is also known as “Little Jamaica” thanks to the specialty stores and Jamaican businesses along the strip of Eglinton Avenue West from Allen Road to Keele Street. This former York borough became a bustling community of more than 150,000 Jamaicans living in Toronto. You can also find other Caribbean influences in this vibrant area. Let’s have a look inside a local barber shop during one busy day!

JC Hair Dressers & Barber’s

Address: 1567 Eglinton Avenue West
Contact: 416-787-6024

One of the success stories from the area, Joe Charles has been in business for more than 25 years! His barber shop is flourishing. Today he employs ten top-quality barbers that help him serve the many customers who come in. Born in Trinidad, Charles moved to Toronto at the age of 3. He first laid hands on a razor while still in school. Today, he has a special relationship with what has become his full-time profession. As he puts it: “It’s a job with long hours, but it’s not stressful. As long as you have piece of mind, you will love it.” Joe explains, “You meet people from all around the city and get to hear their stories. That’s why I love my job.” Specializing in hair cuts, braids, dreads, and hair designs, you should come and see for yourself how amazing the atmosphere of this barber shop is. Have you ever wanted to try corn rows?

The shop owner Joe Charles

After 25 years in business, the shop expanded to a salon with staff of 10

 

This job requires a steady hand and a lot of patience

An army of tools to get the perfect trim

Customers often ask for creative designs or logos of favourite sport teams

Being a barber means long working hours with many customers

Barber Moralins Winlkins is one of the 10 barbers Joe has on staff

 

A long day coming to an end, many satisfied customers left the business today

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Meet the Photographer

John Steven Fernandez (born 1990)

This Toronto based photography student, currently studying at Seneca College of Applied Arts, was born and raised in Toronto from Chilean-born parents. Growing up, John would often visit Chile, and would document every moment of his trips, which had a major impact on the style of photography he enjoys most today. John’s main disciplines of interest are street photography, photojournalism, news, and event photography. John’s greatest passion in life is to travel, experiencing other cultures and meeting new people. John’s dream is to one day travel the world documenting his experiences and communicating his emotions to the world through his lens.