WS Chronicle

When Marc Raye envisioned his barber studio, he wanted people to not just get a haircut, but also wanted them to have an experience. And that’s exactly what the customer will get when they enter Dynasty Barber Studio (DBS).

DBS will have their grand opening tomorrow, Feb. 24, and is located at 2652 Peters Creek Parkway, right beside Shoe Show. Raye says he is eager to bring a different experience to a higher end clientele.

Raye has been cutting hair since 1992 and is a master barber. He will have barbers, locticians and cosmetologists in the shop and he only wants the best so he can give the customer the upscale experience they came for.

“When I was 15, I always said I wanted to be a businessman. I wasn’t familiar with the word ‘entrepreneur’ at the time, but I knew I wanted to be a businessman,” said Raye. “When I was introduced to barbering, I went to barber school at Triad Barber School and before I graduated, I said I was going to have a barber shop.

“My cousin and I and two other guys were in Triad Barber School and we called ourselves the COPS and the barbershop name was going to be Cuts of Perfection, that’s where the COP comes from. So, with that, that’s how the idea came about with opening my own barbershop.”

According to Raye, the opportunity to open a shop actually first came up a decade ago. At the time he was teaching and coaching his son, Marc Raye Jr., on the basketball court, so there was little to no time to invest into opening a shop. After COVID, he said he would take a leap of faith and pour his all into his trade.

“I had a dream one night, maybe three days after I made that decision, and what you see now is what was in my dream; it’s kind of like an epiphany,” he said.  

Raye began the process of opening the business back in August of 2022. He says there were a couple of bumps in the road, but he did not let that deter him from his ultimate goal that will come to fruition tomorrow morning.  

“I’ve had this idea for a long time, it was just a matter of getting the money, stepping out on faith, and having a great support system with my wife and my kids,” Raye continued. “I had to make quite a few decisions and there were stressful decisions, but I had to make them knowing that I couldn’t deviate from what God was showing me.”

Choosing a location was somewhat of an easier task for Raye during the process. He says the building had been vacant for several years and it was a former barbershop so he knew his vision would be able to fit inside the available space.

“Of course, I prayed over it and came and looked at it. This used to be a Fantastic Sam’s, which is like what the Great Clips and Sports Clips are today,” said Raye about the space. “I didn’t have to do much structural work, but I had to do some, but the foundation was pretty much laid for me to walk in and put my twist to it.”

Raye says he gave himself additional stress during the process by setting deadlines for different tasks he wanted to complete. Switching gears, he stated he set timelines that would allow him to finish things in a certain amount of time, instead of a hard date. When he made that switch, he alleviated himself from a lot of stress and worry that was actually negatively affecting his health.

Raye is still negotiating and searching for stylists to work in the shop. He says he will offer great benefits to his barbers, but they will have to go through an interview process to ensure it’s a good fit for both parties.  

“This is not going to be the average barbershop where you go in where you hear the loud music, people cursing or smelling like weed, this is not that type of shop. This is a business and I will run it like a business,” he said about his shop standards. “I prayed for God to send me who needs to come and who wants to be here.

“This shop is a direct reflection of my character and my integrity. Because of the way I am, I have to be wise and make sure that I’m making the right choices in who I bring in here to serve other people.”

For years, Raye says he has poured into other people through coaching and teaching and feels that now is the time he should pour into himself.  

“If I can get half as much as I’ve poured out into the community, this business will be fine,” he stated.  

Raye says he has been on “a journey” throughout his life and he is happy to say that he was proud of himself. He says he could not have made it to this point without the love and support of his wife and children. 

Raye says the shop will take walk-ins, as well as take appointments.