Embracing Inclusion: The Cornerstone Philosophy Meet Wendy Lacey, the business owner of Cornerstone Montclair and Montclair General Store. Wendy shares her journey from working in investment banking to becoming an entrepreneur and creating a space that promotes...
MONTCLAIR REAL ESTATE EXPERT – Why So Many People Love Montclair, NJ. Suburb of NYC & Brooklyn Alternative Meet the very charismatic Sidney Simon and learn why she is one of the top home sellers in the competitive Montclair NJ real estate market. Uncover the...
MONTCLAIR, NJ COUNCIL MEMBER AT LARGE We’re sat down with Peter Yacobellis, a council member at large in Montclair, New Jersey. We’ll be chatting about his journey into politics, the challenges he faces as a public figure, and why building relationships...
PROFESSOR WITH A TWO-HOUR COMMUTE – Roger Sedarat commutes two hours each way from New Jersey to Queens. But his love for his job and his town make it worth it. Enjoy this multi-topic interview with this award-winning poet, professor of literature, poetry, creative...
ACTRESS, HOST, & WRITER – Join us for a fun chat with the delightful actress Liz Samuel! Learn about the ups and downs of how she started her acting career after having kids and moving BACK to Jersey from Brooklyn. With 2, or was it 3 tips for those thinking of...
Street Photographer stays connected to NYC from NJ – To kick things off, we have a fantastic interview with NYC street photographer and our best friend, Chanda Hall! Learn why she moved from Brooklyn to Jersey, her journey to becoming an esteemed photographer, and...
Haircuts & Healing: Building Community Through Barbering
byRachel Martens and Janette Afsharian
The humble barbershop has always been more than just a place for haircuts – it's a cultural institution, a sanctuary for conversation, and in many communities, the beating heart of local connection. In this fascinating conversation with Zane Keyes, owner of Keycuts on Church Street in Montclair, we dive deep into the rich history and evolving future of barbershop culture.
Zane's journey from a 14-year-old boy shaping his own hairline between professional cuts to becoming a pillar of Montclair's business community reflects the very essence of his entrepreneurial spirit. Raised by a single mother who instilled creativity and work ethic in everything he did, Zane transformed necessity into passion, cutting friends' hair throughout high school before perfecting his craft at Rutgers University where he serviced everyone from professors to future NFL stars from his dorm room.
What truly sets Key Cuts apart is how it honors barbershop traditions while innovating for today's community needs. As one of the first Black-owned businesses with a sustained presence on Church Street, the shop represents an important cultural milestone for Montclair. Beyond offering exceptional haircuts for all hair textures, Key Cuts uniquely combines traditional barbering with braiding and dreadlocking services under one roof. Most remarkably, Zane hosts free monthly men's mental health sessions with licensed therapists – a deeply personal initiative following his family's experience with suicide.
The conversation reveals how barbershops function as social anchors where lifelong relationships form, crucial conversations happen, and intergenerational wisdom is shared. From hosting whiskey tastings to mini-concerts with Broadway stars, Zane has reimagined what a modern barbershop can be while preserving its essential community-building function.
Visit Key Cuts on Instagram @keycuts or book your appointment at www.keycuts.co – where you might just leave with more than a fresh cut.
