TEMPLE, Texas — A Temple barber shop is cutting back the cost of haircuts for back-to-school time! It's all to make sure children feel and look their best when they return to the classroom.
Swagger Cuts offers $15 cuts for children in Central Texas. Family, friends and strangers all drop by, but it's not just the cheaper cuts that brings them in. It's the two generous owners behind the barber shop.
Co-owners of Swagger Cuts, Fabian Ortiz and his wife Monica Villela, strive to be a light in Central Texas.
Ortiz was born and raised in East Temple. Ortiz says he got into becoming a barber at a young age after seeing the owners of TJ Ikes cut hair when growing up.
For the last year, he has given free haircuts to unhoused people at the nonprofit Feed My Sheep, organized community events and been a mentor to young men encouraging them to go down a positive path.
Ortiz was even nominated for 'Positive Influence of the Year' at the 2023 Barber Grammys for the first time.
Villela and her husband say paying it forward is really what it's all about for their Temple barber shop.
"Being a local kid, growing up on the east side of Temple, it was just always my goal when I became a barber back in 2009, I just always thought 'I can't wait to have my own shop' and you know [Monica] was in the industry as well," Ortiz said. "We teamed up, we just always wanted to give back to the community, so this is what we were trying to do."
Now they are going to continue to host back-to-school discounted haircuts every year.
"A lot of people can't afford haircuts for the full price that they normally are," Melissa Martinez, customer and mother of a 7-year-old, said. "He does a great job with haircuts, he's always helpful for the community. He gives back. The back to school event is amazing. I feel comfortable. There's a good vibe. There's more of a family atmosphere out here."