GREENSBORO, N.C. — A Greensboro man is trying to collect money for hairdressers impacted by coronavirus shutdowns by selling t-shirts.
Kenny Kallum owns Boho Salon. He's one of thousands of hair salons across the state who will have to close their doors Wednesday at 5 p.m. due to Governor Roy Cooper's executive order.
"With us being out of work, with no income and not knowing where it's going to come from next, I had to stand up and do something," Kallum said.
He says his wife came up with the idea to sell t-shirts that have the hashtag #emptychairs to highlight the situation and as a way to create a fund for hairdressers in the city of Greensboro.
"I would love to be able to give everybody in Greensboro that does hair in a salon or by themselves or some way shape or form 100 bucks but I need the community to help us," Kallum said.
Kallum says hairdressers should email him at emptychairsintl@gmail.com with the name of their salon and their registration number.
The t-shirts are just the beginning. Kallum wants to establish a non-profit called #emptychairsintl.
His hope right now is to raise $150,000 and expand empty chairs to different states and countries to help hairdressers affected by mandatory shutdowns.
Eventually, he wants to create a scholarship to help send people to beauty school.
"It would make my heart warm to know that I have done something or I've left a legacy after I work my years and pass on," Kallum said.
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