Larry’s Barber College Set For Expansion Of Facility And Education Programs

Larry Roberts, who has his master instructor license in 22 states, is the owner of Larry’s Barber College. PHOTO PROVIDED BY BROWN FARMER MEDIA.
Larry Roberts, who has his master instructor license in 22 states, is the owner of Larry’s Barber College. PHOTO PROVIDED BY BROWN FARMER MEDIA.

Larry’s Barber College Set For Expansion Of Facility And Education Programs

By Tia Carol Jones

Larry E. Roberts, Jr. recently broke ground on a new facility for Larry’s Barber College. Along with the new facility, there will be an expansion in programs to include cosmetology, esthetics and nails.

Roberts opened up his first barbershop when he was nineteen and his first barber college in 2004. There are eight barber colleges. One is in Cook County Jail, Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice, 79th and Langley, Joliet, Rockford, IDJJ Warrenville and IDJJ St. Charles and 104th and Halsted. Roberts also has a barbershop in the Walmart, which is located in Pullman at 109th and Doty Road, which opened in 2022. Roberts had a barbershop located at the Walmart in Chatham on 84th and Stewart, but when the store closed, the barbershop also had to close.

Larry’s Barber and Beauty College will be located at 10456 S. Halsted, which is the same location as the current facility. Roberts will also open a credit union and a small beauty and barber supply store there. Roberts said he wanted to expand the facility because he is outgrowing the current space. Once completed, Roberts estimated the facility will be 15,000 square feet. He said it should take between six to nine months to be completed.

Roberts said he wanted to expand to cosmetology, esthetics and nails because he wanted to give people an opportunity to have a space to learn whatever techniques they wanted to in the hair care and nail industry.

"My goal with this new facility is to create a space where individuals can learn, grow, and excel in the beauty industry," Roberts said in a release. "We want to equip our students with not only the technical skills but also the business acumen to thrive in this competitive field.”

Roberts, who has his master instructor license in 22 states, estimates thousands have come through his barber college program. He said it feels great to know that so many people have come through his program. With the barber education program he has with Cook County Jail, he is doing it voluntarily, without being paid for the program. He said at his heart, he is a helper.

“I’m helping to cut down on recidivism, I’m helping people to change their lives,” he said.

Roberts also has a technical trade school called Larry’s Automotive School of Technology, located at 16360 S. Halsted. The school provides hands-on training in automotive, aviation tech and diesel tech. He said he opened the school because he knew that everyone wouldn’t want to go to barber college and HVAC, Automotive, Aviation and Diesel were industries where there was a need for training.

“I’m really big on making sure that we’re not just giving a person a good trade or a good job, but we’re giving them an opportunity to really be successful. That’s my mission, educating a new generation of barbers to become more than barbers,” he said.

Roberts founded the DATA (Developing a Trade Afterschool) Foundation Inc., a nonprofit organization which helped barber and beauty schools, shops, and salons to maintain their businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic and after.

For more information about Larry’s Barber College, visit www.larrysbarbercollege.com.

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