Meet Patrice Parker of Sages Barbershop in Downtown EastPoint

Today we’d like to introduce you to Patrice Parker.

Patrice, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I decided as a kid when my mom would bring me to ‘Jack The Rapper’ conventions that I would move to Atlanta to work on my music when I got older (lol). I graduated from FAMU in Tallahassee back in 2006 and relocated here shortly after. It has not been as easy as I thought it would be as a little girl but I have grown a lot here in a lot of different ways. The way the shop came about, in particular, was that when I initially moved my daughter had just turned three and I didn’t know how to do anything girly including her hair. I would go in salons and before they could finish telling me she was too little I would explain that she would sit still because she would! She’s always been a girly girl and I didn’t start wearing girl clothes until like the end of my 11th-grade year in high school. Long story short, I saw a need for a children’s salon and drafted my business plan for that but years went by with me trying to come up with different ways to find funding until 2015. That year, I actively searched for a location every other day until my cousin told me about an affordable spot she found the following year. Talking to a different stylist and hearing their opinions in regards to only doing children’s hair helped birth the Barbershop. We have been proudly servicing the EastPoint Atlanta area since January of 2017. I initially just wanted to do something for my kids and pay for studio time, lol. I love that the shop space makes a way for other people’s families also!

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
A challenge was finding a location that didn’t want a crazy amount of money for rent. A struggle has been completing our team of barbers as we seek professionalism over numbers. It’s never easy running any business for the first couple of years because you’re not making a profit. We are really running off of faith at this point; understanding what it could be.

Please tell us more about what you do, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
What set’s me apart from other shop owners would probably be that I am a songwriter; I do not cut hair, lol. I am a creative that’s also kinda business savvy so prayerfully this works! All of my family calls me Treecee Lee, so if you’re ever looking for the music, that’s the search name simply because there are 1,000 Patrice Parker’s on iTunes! I am most proud concerning the shop that everyone, no exaggeration, everyone who comes in says it’s the best cut they’ve ever had and really love the environment. As creatives, we worry about the well being and feelings of everyone around us so that always makes me proud. As far as my music, I’m always in awe of how God gives us words and melodies to use to explain a thing. I just pray that I can make music that people can relate to, be inspired by and love.

I recently released a single titled ‘Easy’ that is available on all platforms now.

What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success to me now is so different from before. I want to be debt free and always in a position to help in a financial way but if I’ve left my children an inheritance of faith then I think I’ve gotten some of the most important parts of my work done. A steady evolvement within me and my family and loved ones would make me feel very successful.

Contact Info:

• Address: Sages Barbershop
  2879 EastPoint St. Suite 6
  Atlanta, Ga 30344
• Website: www.Treeceelee.com
• Phone: 404-684-1900
• Email: SagesBarbershop@gmail.com
• Instagram: @sagesbarbershop/ @Treeceelee
• Facebook: @SagesBarbershop
• Twitter: @Treeceelee

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