New Business Profile: King’s Dream Barbershop

(Editor’s Note: This is one in a series of stories profiling some of the newer businesses in Concordia)

Byron King isn't just a barber, he's an artist.
"I'm very passionate about what I do," King said. "For me, it's so much more than just a haircut."
A native of Columbia, King came to the U.S. 10 years ago. He moved to Concordia in 2018 and played soccer at Cloud County Community College.
"I fell in love with this town," King said fondly. "I've lived in a big city. It's so peaceful here."
King has been cutting hair most of his life. Originally he was self-taught. "I have always loved cutting hair. I started out doing it for my family and friends."
King graduated from Old Town Barber College in Wichita and received his barbering license. He describes working on someone's hair as akin to a sculptor molding a sculpture into perfection. "Cutting hair is an art form. Anybody can cut hair, but an artist can transform how you look."
Spend just a few minutes speaking with King and you see how passionate he is about his business. "I get to interact with people, and I love that. But for me, it's so much more than that. I like helping people look their best for a wedding, a job interview. A different style can really change your whole outlook on life, and how people look at you. A bad haircut will ruin your day, but a great haircut can be the beginning of a whole new person."
King said that there is no specific style or type of haircut that he favors the most. "I like all types of haircuts. Everybody looks different, so each haircut is new, different. But I do enjoy transformation cuts the most. Like when somebody has long hair, and then they cut it short."
One of the motivating factors for King opening his business in Concordia is his six-year-old son, Julian. "He's the reason I chose Concordia as the place to open my business. He loves it here. He's a little Panther now."
Located at 1590 Lincoln St., in the mall that also houses Town & Country and Orscheln's, King needed about three weeks to remodel his shop and turn it into a barbershop. The minute you walk through the doors you know that the color red has special meaning to him.
"Yes, red is my favorite color," King said with a big grin. "And I'm in the right place for it. The Chiefs and the Panthers!"
King's Dream Barbershop officially opened its doors on January 6, 2020. "I am so happy to be here. It was a rough start because of the pandemic, but I feel blessed and so thankful to the community for their support."
King said he is here to stay, but does someday envision expanding his business. "Yes, definitely, within five years I would love to have another shop in Salina, or maybe Wichita. We'll see how it goes. For right now, I just want to do my best for the wonderful people of this community. So come on by and say hello. We cut hair for all ages, from kids to retired people, and all types of hair."
King's Dream Barbershop is open Tuesday-thru-Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and walk-ins are always welcome. He is open on Mondays and Saturdays by appointment only. The shop is closed on Sundays. The phone number is (785)262-4418.
Check out King's Dream Barbershop Facebook page to see lots of Before-and-After photos of customers, and even a few videos showing the artist transforming hair.