With a new location along Sycamore Road in DeKalb, one local barber school is leaning into inspiring future stylists.

Located next to Eyemart Express and T-Mobile in the Oakland Place Shopping Center, Future Fades Academy first opened its doors at a new spot in DeKalb in July.

Previously, the barber school called nearby Sycamore its home.

Owner and Instructor Andre Powell said making the move made sense.

“The other location was pretty far out, pretty deep into Sycamore,” Powell said. “It was really out [of] the way, so being closer to DeKalb put me closer to my other business.”

Future Fades Academy is located at 2337 Sycamore Road in DeKalb.

Powell also runs and operates In and Out Cuts Barbershop at 2331 Sycamore Road in DeKalb.

He said he believes Future Fades Academy is filling a need that had gone underserved in the area.

“I think it changed the landscape,” Powell said. “There’s always a shortage of barbers in DeKalb, and I think it was due to no school. Since having a school, we’ve created a lot of barbers – some in my shop, some at other shops."

The next closest cosmetology and barber schools are located in Sycamore, Lake in the Hills, Bolingbrook, Naperville and Oswego.

Future Fades Academy is open to teaching anyone interested in learning the trade.

Powell said that what separates an established barber from a student essentially comes down to clinical floor experience.

“The quality of service is still there,” he said. “The difference between a licensed barber and a student is 72 hours as far as a haircut. ... But the price gap is significant between the two.”

A haircut from an established barber can cost $50. At Future Fades Academy in DeKalb, the price is $15.

Sometimes people can get sticker price shock at how affordable it may seem to visit a barber school, which Powell said also could turn some clients away.

“A lot of people, like I said, don’t trust barber schools,” Powell said. “It’s something new here. But if you look at the women’s side of it, Debutantes [School of Beauty], they’re all great schools. They’ve always had plenty of clinical floor time.”

But Powell said anyone interested in patronizing a barber school should rest assured they “won’t leave with a bad haircut.” Clients are serviced under the supervision of a licensed barber instructor, he said.

At approximately 3,500 square feet, Future Fades Academy is designed to mirror the setup of a traditional barbershop. But it also includes space for a classroom.

Powell said the new DeKalb location is slightly bigger, allowing the barber school to service up to 20 clients in a chair at a time, up from 16.

Jared Schopp is among 13 students currently enrolled as a student at Future Fades Academy. He gave kudos to Powell for helping him find his bearings as a barber.

He said he graduates from Future Fades Academy this month.

“You can see your future when you’re there because he owns his own barbershops,” Schopp said. “He made it clear to me and [he] was like, ‘if you put in the work and give it your all and I see that you really want it, I can give you a spot.’”

Schopp said he’s learned a lot from the instruction of Powell at Future Fades Academy.

“He owns two barbershops, the salon,” Schopp said. “He’s an elected official. He used to be on the school board. I mean, he does a lot. He works very hard, and that’s something that I’ve noticed. If you want to make a name for yourself, you also have to put in that same type of work and effort.”

Powell said it’s important that students get a well-rounded experience.

At Future Fades Academy, the student-instructor ratio is 25 to one.

“We gradually build you up,” he said. “There’s practical work, whether it’s shampooing, shaving, shades. ... You get to experience all of it.”

Powell said the barber school provides an opportunity for students to build a portfolio that works uniquely for them.

“Everybody’s different, whether it’s your tools, your style,” he said. “Everybody has what they consider the best tools, the best techniques. I think you let people learn all of that, and then, they’ll pick and choose what they take from that. And then, they’ll develop their own set of skills.”

He said Future Fades Academy prides itself on embracing diversity.

“We can cut any ethnicity of hair,” he said. “Any ethnicity, that’s key with being a barber. ... Latinos can cut whites, Black. Blacks can cut whites, Latinos. Versatility is key to being in the industry.”

Powell stressed that the future holds no limits for students at Future Fades Academy. The craft can lead to a career or a step along the way to “cut their way through college.”

As a local businessman and realtor, Powell knows this from experience.

“I always make it a point that it’s not an either-or, and it’s not an alternative to going to college and not an alternative to any other career,” Powell said. “It’s another tool.”

Powell gave thanks to a local landlord, Max Heidi, for helping him to realize his dreams.

Heidi said it’s been a pleasure working with Powell. Heidi said he’s pleased to see how Powell has grown as a businessman over the years.

“I’m sure he will be expanding in other directions,” Heidi said. “Unfortunately, I don’t think there’s any more room in DeKalb, in Sycamore for him, but who knows what he’ll do. He likes to run barbershops and beauty shops, so we’ll see what he does.”

Powell said more awaits the academy’s future.

“We’re expanding to another location outside of DeKalb County,” Powell said. “We’re going to have a second school opening here shortly.”

The clinical floor at Future Fades Academy is open to the general public from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.