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SCHOOL IN DES MOINES, THERE’S A BARBER SHOP WITH TWO NAMES, SEVEN BARBERS AND A RICH HISTORY AND A NEW PROJECT COMMUNITY STORY. ����vlog ALYSSA GOMEZ SHARES HOW THE SHOP HAS PAVED THE WAY FOR A NEW GENERATION OF BARBERS. THE SOUNDS OF THE ROOSEVELT BARBERSHOP HAVE STAYED THE SAME THROUGH THE YEARS. THE RED, WHITE AND BLUE BARBERSHOP POLE STILL SPINS NEAR THE ENTRANCE, BUT ON THE WINDOW OUTSIDE, THERE’S AN ADDITION TO THAT ICONIC NAME DREAMERS. ROSENBERG BARBER SHOP. THE NEW OWNERS WANTED TO HONOR THE LEGACY CREATED INSIDE FOR MORE THAN 100 YEARS, SINCE 1919, GENTLEMEN HAVE WALKED INTO ROOSEVELT WITH UNRULY HAIR AND 5:00 SHADOWS AND LEFT WITH EITHER A FRESH SHAVE OR A NEW DEWAR. OH, REALLY? YOU GOTTA START COVID-19 RICK ATKINSON IS NOT QUITE AS OLD AS THE SHOP ITSELF, BUT HE’S BEEN AROUND CONSOLING CUSTOMERS SINCE EVEN BEFORE THE CUBS LET THE PLAYOFFS SLIP THROUGH THEIR HANDS. IN ZERO THREE. EVERYBODY’S TALKING ABOUT THE GAME LAST NIGHT AND THE LOSS. HE’S SEEN THE CUBS SCORE A WORLD SERIES WIN NOW AND HE STILL SITS IN A CHAIR ACROSS FROM THE BIG SCREEN, WHERE HE CAN WALK YOU THROUGH THE HISTORY OF THE SHOP DECADES BY DECADES. IT STARTED AROUND 1919 1920, 21. IN THE BUILDING AROUND THE CORNER WHERE THE CLEANERS IS NOW. AND THEN THEY BUILT THE CENTER IN 1934. THEY HAD A MAJOR FIRE, AND THEN THEY MOVED UP IN HERE IN THE 60S. RICK BOUGHT THE PLACE IN 1998, CATERING TO HIS BUSTLING CLIENTELE UNTIL THE CONSTANT BUZZING OF RAZORS TURNED INTO A DEAFENING QUIET. IN 2020. THEY STRUGGLE IN 1 OR 2 AT A TIME. AT THE MOST, BUT WE’LL GO AN HOUR, MAYBE HAVE 1 OR 2 CUSTOMERS AND SO IT’S A LONG DAY. THE SHOP SURVIVED WITH SOME NEW NAMES AND FACES, EXCEPT FOR THE MAN IN THE LAST CHAIR. FOLLOWING THE PANDEMIC, RICK DECIDED IT WAS TIME FOR A NEW GENERATION TO TAKE OVER AND THAT’S WHEN HE MET LUIS, WHEN HE TOLD ME THE STORY OF BEING A DREAMER AND HOW IT ALL CAME ABOUT AND IT JUST WE KNEW RIGHT AWAY HE WAS THE ONE. AND SO IT WORKED OUT GOOD. FOUR CHAIRS DOWN. LUIS IS LASER FOCUSED ON HIS CLIENTS. IT’S A BUSY FRIDAY MORNING WITH BACK TO BACK APPOINTMENTS THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND. HE SAYS HIS CHAIR IS ALMOST ALWAYS FULL AND IT’S A FEELING HE LOVES. I LIKE TO MEET NEW PEOPLE EVERY DAY AND INTERACT WITH CUSTOMERS, AND I TOLD MY WIFE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS IT. I FEEL LIKE HOME. FOR LUIS, THE PASSING OF THE TORCH WAS MORE THAN JUST A BUSINESS VENTURE. IT WAS THE CULMINATION OF PATIENCE, HOPE AND AN UNEXPECTED OPPORTUNITY FOR AN IMMIGRANT STUDENT. THE DREAMERS PROGRAM. I TRIED A COUPLE OF TIMES TO GO TO THE BARBER SCHOOL, BUT THEY ALWAYS SAY NO BECAUSE THEY THEY ALWAYS WANT SOME KIND OF LEGAL STATUS FOR YOU TO TO GO TO COLLEGE. SO WHEN THE PROGRAM HAPPENED AND OBAMA WAS ON THE OFFICE, YOU KNOW, I SAID, YOU KNOW, I GOT NOTHING TO LOSE. IT’S THE ONLY REASON LUIS WAS ABLE TO EARN HIS LICENSE. IT’S ALSO THE REASON ON A FRIDAY MORNING, THERE’S A REVOLVING DOOR OF CUSTOMERS ENTERING AND EXITING. YOU GUYS WATCHING? ULTIMATELY, IT’S THE REASON LUIS CAN FILL THE CHAIRS WITH OTHER LATINO BARBERS OPENING DOORS FOR OTHERS. THIS IS THE FIRST PLACE I’VE ACTUALLY EVER WORKED WHERE I FEEL LIKE WE’RE ACTUALLY NOT BEING CLICHE, BUT ACTUALLY FRIENDS AND FAMILY WHILE STILL HONORING THE HISTORY OF ROOSEVELT. IT GIVES YOU A WHOLE NEW PERSPECTIVE, AND THEY’RE ALL SUCH GREAT BARBERS. THERE’S JUST AN ELECTRICITY THAT WHAT THE YOUNGER PEOPLE AND I ALWAYS WANTED TO SEE THE SHOP CONTINUE AND AND THAT’S THE GREATEST THING IT’S BEEN HAPPENED LIKE 3 OR 4 GENERATIONS LIKE GENTLEMEN COMING HERE FROM THE GRANDPARENT FATHER AND SON ADULTS THAT THEY ARE ALREADY LIKE 30. AND THEY SAID, HEY, I GOT MY FIRST HAIRCUT HERE AS GENERATIONS PASS THROUGH BEFORE THEY’LL CONTINUE TO WITH TWO NAMES ON THE DOOR, ONE THAT HONORS THE PAST, ONE THAT INSPIRES THE FUTURE. ALWAYS BE PATIENT AND YOUR TIME WILL COME. DOESN’T MATTER WHAT YOU DO IN LIFE IF YOU PUSH, YOU PUT THE HOURS INTO IT. YOU WILL ACCOMPLISH. IF YOU DREAM IT, YOU CAN BUILD IT IN DES MOINES. ALYSSA GOMEZ ����vlog EIGHT NEWS. IOWA’S NEWS LEADER. THE NEW OWNER SAYS HE HOPES THAT THE SHOP CAN CONTINUE TO BUILD ON THAT LEGACY. THE SHOP IS AT 42ND STREET, IS