MURRAY, Utah — Barber League has been cutting and lining up hair at Fashion Place Mall for two years. But on Dec. 1, owner Matthew Campbell was notified that the mall would not be renewing his lease. He said the mall alluded to a bigger store coming to take up his 700-square-foot space and the space of neighboring shops.
"I was blindsided. We're definitely one of the most profitable stores in the mall per square foot," Campbell said. "We have the smallest store space, and we made a really awesome barbershop for everyone to love, use and enjoy."
Campbell says he was offered another larger space outdoors by the mall management that would cost him around $7,500, but text messages show that the offer was later rescinded.
"I immediately said yes, I'll take it, but they advised against it as they felt I would not be able to afford the space," Campbell said.
Although Barber League's South Towne location in Sandy will remain open, Campbell says having to leave Murray's Fashion Place Mall will cost him important business opportunities.
"Barber League has been working with the Jazz for All-Star weekend coming up and having athletes and patrons come through and promote the shop. It's definitely a major missed opportunity," he remarked.
Customers like Kathy Phelps are also upset the business is being forced to move. Phelps has a mixed-race son and she had a hard time finding someone to style and cut his hair until she found Barber League.
"I thought with a little boy it would be easy, and it turns out his hair is a lot more expensive than mine ever has been," Phelps said.
Phelps says she was confused to find out Fashion Place Mall was not renewing Barber League's lease.
"I think if he's done what he said he is going to and upheld his end of the bargain, he should be allowed to stay," Phelps said.
Other customers like Tony Nora say Barber League is the best of the best in Utah and seeing the Fashion Place location go is an inconvenience.
"The look of my haircut, it means everything," Nora said. "When I go to birthdays, meetings, events, I've been given so many compliments after a Barber League haircut... now I have to travel another 20 minutes away instead of five minutes way to the other location."
Faithful customers like Nora and Phelps say despite the closure, they will continue supporting Barber League however they can.
"If he leaves fashion place, wherever he goes, we will be following and so will our money," Phelps said.
FOX 13 News reached out to Fashion Place Mall for comment, and they gave the following statement:
"We are aware of the claims made by Barber League regarding the reasons for the non-renewal of its license. Respectfully, these claims are without basis. We would also like to clarify that Barber League has been operating in the mall under a temporary license agreement with an expiration date [of December 31, 2022], a date to which the business owner agreed in advance, and which has now elapsed. It is our policy not to comment about our renewal process or about specific tenants or licensees. We do wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors."
