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Hot Towels And Tapered Cuts: Local Barbershop Welcomes NCAA Tournament

Carla Eckels
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KMUW
Left to Right: Joshua Mann, Barber Sean Rigsby (standing), Mykeyus Woods, Barber/Owner of Artistry Lounge, Jeremie Mcglory (standing) and Ihsan McCoy

Wichita is among eight cities to host the first and second rounds of the NCAA men's basketball tournament. Downtown businesses are hoping thousands of visitors will eat, sleep, shop and perhaps get a haircut.

Credit Carla Eckels / KMUW
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KMUW
Sean Rigsby trims Xavier Brown's hair. Rigsby says the NCAA tournament will bring more exposure to Wichita.

Jeremie Mcglory owns Artistry Lounge barbershop, located north of Naftzger Park in downtown Wichita. Mcglory says there's been growing excitement among Douglas Avenue business owners about the tournament.

He says the recently opened barbershop has overstocked items to help groom any spectator, coach or ball player.

"We want to be able to give the best product that we know we can give you," Mcglory says. "On top of that, what we've done is made sure that we've had enough complimentary beverage, sodas and waters to accommodate everybody who may walk in. We also are adding another TV so we can be sure that we have all the games that are on covered."

The economic impact of the NCAA tournament in Wichita is estimated to be $10 million.

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Carla Eckels is director of cultural diversity and the host of Soulsations. Follow her on Twitter @Eckels.

To contact KMUW News or to send in a news tip, reach us at news@kmuw.org.

Carla Eckels is Director of Organizational Culture at KMUW. She produces and hosts the R&B and gospel show Soulsations and brings stories of race and culture to The Range with the monthly segment In the Mix. Carla was inducted into The Kansas African American Museum's Trailblazers Hall of Fame in 2020 for her work in broadcast/journalism.