Meet Mark Avery, the barber making a difference at KSQ Barber Lounge in Chester County

A Chester County, Pennsylvania, business owner is creating a welcoming space for customers of all backgrounds while inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs.

Mark Avery, the owner of KSQ Barber Lounge in Kennett Square, is one of the few Black barbershop owners in the borough. He's building a business rooted in representation and community.

"I've always wanted to be a barber," Avery said, "and I knew eventually I wanted to open up something in my hometown."

That dream started with Avery cutting hair for his friends in his living room. In November 2019, he opened his first shop on Sycamore Alley in Kennett Square, before expanding to a larger space on West State Street.

Avery said he wanted his shop to be a place where clients could walk through the door and feel like they belong.

"In a lot of ways prior to the new shops coming around, you still had segregation," Avery said. "You had one or so Black shops, White shops, Hispanic shops. I try to be a place where anyone can come in."

Avery's approach has helped him build a loyal customer base from across Chester County.

"Mark is always there for you," Tyrone Rochester from Kennett Square said. "Mark will put you in a time slot as soon as you need a haircut."

Ben Horine, who moved to Kennett Square from the Madison, Wisconsin, area, said Avery is different from other barbers.

"He is willing to go through a process to figure out what works for me," Horine said. "A lot of others will just kind of do what they want to do, and so it's a real personalized experience."

Avery said being an entrepreneur is about more than growing a business. It's also about paying it forward.

Last year, Avery received a community partner award for donating a portion of his proceeds to Kennett Area Community Service, which operates a food pantry and provides financial assistance for people in need.

Avery also sponsors local youth baseball, basketball and football teams.

"It's a big deal for me to be involved," Avery said. "Being a Kennett kid, I always tell everybody I'm just a kid from the mushroom capital of the world."

Avery said he has big plans for the future of KSQ Barber Lounge. He has added a cosmetologist to his team, hoping to expand by hiring more barbers, moving into a larger space and opening his own school.

He said he wants young people to see that success is possible, regardless of where they start.

"You can look up and see if you have goals, you have ideas, you have things that you set for yourself," Avery said. "There are others who are just like you who were able to accomplish the same things."

Through his business, Avery said he hopes to continue creating opportunities, breaking barriers and giving back to the community that raised him.