Jade Teague, Queen City Barber owner, sweeps hair after a client leaves Queen City Barber in Hazard, Kentucky, on Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025. Sammy Wynn/The Watchdog

Sunlight shines through the windows of Queen City Barber Shop as country music echoes around the room.

Within the shop’s four walls, a small boy sits in a black leather chair before a mirror as he awaits his 2 p.m. appointment.

Behind him stands the barber shop owner, Jade Teague, grinning as he asks the boy which movie he wants to watch on the shop’s small TV screen.

Teague, who opened the shop in 2024, said he began his career back in high school, when he would trim his friends’ hair, giving them what he called a “front porch special.”

Teague said he would sit on the front porch of his childhood home and try to cut his friends’ hair, something that usually left them with a buzz cut and a mess to clean up.

“I always had an interest in being a barber,” Teague said. “It gave me an opportunity to still work with people and be around people. . . and maybe be able to help influence- or whatever you want to call it- them in a positive way.”

Jade Teague, left, puts a cape on Charlie Combs at Queen City Barber in Hazard, Kentucky, on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025. Sammy Wynn/The Watchdog

Hank Gabbard gets his nose waxed at Queen City Barber in Hazard, Kentucky, on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025. Gabbard has been friends with the shop for over 30 years. Sammy Wynn/The Watchdog

‘And then life happened.’

Although Teague said he loves his job, he never expected his career to follow this path.

He originally attended Eastern Kentucky University for early childhood education, then the University of the Cumberlands for a Master of Arts in teaching.

“And then life happened, and I went back to work for a while,” Teague said.

After dropping out of the University of the Cumberlands, Teague returned to his roots, working as a service manager at a heavy equipment dealership.

“I (had) done it for probably 12 or 13 years, so it was just comfortable to go back to that world where it was safe, and I knew kind of what was going on,” Teague said. “It wasn’t as much of a struggle.”

However, despite it being a simple career choice, Teague said he had never been more miserable in his life. He had a bleak outlook on life, all because of his job.

“I guess I’m a people pleaser. I want people to enjoy experiences that they’ve had,” he said. “Like when I’m around and in that world, it was either: a repair was too expensive, or the repair took too long, or it was too expensive and took too long. So you can’t really make anybody happy.”

After one particular long and tiring day, Teague finally quit the job, saying he had had enough.

“I didn’t understand how to leave that part of life at work and not bring it home,” Teague said. “I wasn’t the dad I needed to be for my kids.”

After quitting, Teague said he thought back to his “front porch barber” days and remembered why he began his teaching journey in the first place.

Because many kids do not grow up with a positive male role model, Teague said he wanted to be there for them and serve as that role model.

“I’m not saying that I’m the best one, but I grew up in an iffy situation when it came to dads,” Teague said. “I just thought that maybe that would be a way that I could give something back, or do something to help somebody. . . and let them know that they got somebody that believes in them.”

Cash fills a “bad word jar” and “stupid jar” at Queen City Barber in Hazard, Kentucky, on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025. Teague donates the money from both jars to charity. Sammy Wynn/The Watchdog

Macyn Teague, left, greets her father, Jade Teague, before she leaves for work at Queen City Barber in Hazard, Kentucky, on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025. Sammy Wynn/The Watchdog

‘A need for somebody younger to do it.’

Early in his career, Teague came to realize that every barber was several decades older than he was.

Amid ever-evolving hairstyles and techniques, Teague believed he was the only one who could fill the market niche.

“I probably can connect better with them (younger clients) compared to some older people, who may not view the world and stuff the same way that they do,” Teague said. “So I just felt like barber school was a good fit.”

After graduating from barber school, Teague immediately began working at Karma Spa and Salon, alongside the wife of one of his close friends.

“She just wanted to let me know that she had somewhere for me and somewhere that she could help me learn,” Teague said.

Although he loved the supportive environment where he could constantly learn and grow as a barber, eventually, Teague said he felt ready to go out on his own.

As a barber, Teague said he wanted to focus more on “manly stuff,” such as beards, face shaves and men’s cuts.

“It was kind of hard to be that kind of a person and offer that kind of an environment when I was working in a spa and salon,” Teague said.

So, in 2024, he moved to his current location off Taxi Alley where, for the first few months, it was a “roller coaster” of emotions– some good and some not so much.

“I’m not saying every day is a great day now,” Teague said. “But the majority of them, they’re all really good days.”

Memphis Maggard reacts to haircut at Queen City Barber in Hazard, Kentucky, on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025. Sammy Wynn/The Watchdog

Owen Walker plays at Queen City Barber in Hazard, Kentucky, on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025. Sammy Wynn/The Watchdog

‘Make the best of a horrible situation.’

In February 2025, four feet of water flooded Queen City Barber Shop.

To this day, water marks decorate the shop’s wooden counter as a reminder that even on difficult days, life could always be worse.

After the flood tore through Hazard, Teague set out to fix his shop piece by piece. To his surprise, 30 people showed up to help him rebuild his beloved barber shop.

Dozens of people filled the small shop, draining water, removing soaked floor tiles and doing everything they could to help.

“The flood sucked. It was awful,” Teague said. “In those horrible times. . . You get a true sense of the people who are around you, the people who support you, the people who really care about you. You see them show up in a bigger way than you ever could have anticipated.”

In moments like this, Teague said that a community has to care for one another to make it out the other side.

“I have pride in my community and my friends and the clients and people who just kind of rallied around me to make the best of a horrible situation,” Teague said.

Overjoyed by the town’s reaction and help with rebuilding his shop, Teague couldn’t help but think of all the people across town who didn’t have anyone to help them. So, he sent people from his shop to a woman who had just lost everything in the apartment next door.

“She (was) like, ‘Why are you all doing this?’ And I’m like,’ Why wouldn’t we do this?’” Teague said. “I have 30 people over here to help me, and I have a 20 by 20 barber shop that we all can’t fit in. And you’re over here by yourself, so just let us help you, too.”

Jade Teague applies lotion on new tattoo at Queen City Barber in Hazard, Kentucky, on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025. Sammy Wynn/The Watchdog

Jade Teague attends school board meeting at Hazard High School in Hazard, Kentucky, on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025. Sammy Wynn/The Watchdog

‘I care about this place.’

Many friends and family walk through the shop’s door, some with appointments, others just to say hello.

Teague said he welcomes everyone who steps into the shop with open arms, treating them all with kindness and respect.

“I try to be the same person every day in every situation with every person, no matter whatever walk of life that they come from,” Teague said. “I hope that people see that, and that they see that I’m genuine and that I am big-hearted, and I care about people, and I care about this place.”

Since the first day Teague opened his doors, clients from all over have brought him gifts and called him a beloved member of the community.

In turn, Teague adorned the shop’s walls with these priceless gifts, so that even when he’s having a bad day, he can look up and see just how loved he is.

“To be able to sit and think that you’ve got that many people who care about you, it’s pretty overwhelming sometimes,” Teague said. “But then it always makes you smile, too.”

Given the community’s generosity to him, Teague said it’s important to him to give back whenever he gets the chance– a lesson he learned from his mother at a young age.

“If you see somebody who has a need, you’ll do your best to meet that, if possible,” Teague said. “If we look in the mirror, most of the time we’ve got more than we need. . . and other people just need help.”

Teague said he makes an effort to get to know every client who sits in his chair, whether it’s a close friend or someone coming in for the first time.

“It’s really awesome to have the opportunity to watch that kid go from graduating preschool to potentially graduating high school,” Teague said. “Then, if they choose to go on to college. . . maybe I can cut their hair when they’re graduating from that, too.”

For the time his clients are in the chair, Teague hopes they can escape the real world, forget their crazy lives and truly connect with him.

Jade Teague holds decoration made by customer against the wall at Queen City Barber on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. Sammy Wynn/The Watchdog

Jade Teague drinks bourbon after finishing work at Queen City Barber in Hazard, Kentucky, on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025. Sammy Wynn/The Watchdog

Jade Teague leaves shop to get coffee at Queen City Barber in Hazard, Kentucky, on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. Sammy Wynn/The Watchdog

20 minutes later, with a fresh haircut and a smile on his face, the little boy leaps out of the chair.

As the boy walks out the door, Teague sends him off with the same message he gives every client.

“Back to the real world you go, brother,” Teague said.