Today we’d like to introduce you to Rev. Billy and Amanda Simmons.
Rev. Billy, Amanda, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
In the ’90s I (Rev. Billy) was playing guitar for a band on RCA Records, and some other bands. Things didn’t really work out with the big rock star thing — I mean I still play and do some session work, I love music, the creative aspect of it, I’m lost without it. To attempt to make a very long story short, the big labels said BYE! And I didn’t know what to do — go back to university, play in another band, teach music? There were so many options.
To my recollection my introduction to hair happened over the holidays in December my sister, Cynthia Walker, was visiting. She was a cosmetologist, assisting a couple of platform artists, traveling and being a hair star. She suggested that I go to cosmetology school… I came back with, “Why in the hell would I want to be a hairdresser after everything else I’ve done!?” My sister made some very good points for me to more seriously consider cosmetology. Until then it wasn’t even in my orbit of consideration, but the more I thought about it the more it made sense. Creativity, the potential to be on stage, travel, recognition, performing. Why not!?
So I went to cosmetology school, graduated, had an apprenticeship with some amazing artists, worked with/for some fantastic companies, and really just did not like what I was doing. At all. I moved to Chicago In the early/mid ’90s and started playing in a couple of bands. I’d given up on hair, I didn’t see the point or potential. Then a friend offered me a job at Big Hair, a hole in the wall salon in Roscoe Village. Anything went at Big Hair: you could smoke and drink in the salon, it was the antithesis of a boring salon. Chicago at the time was where you wanted to be as a band, and just about everyone in the music and entertainment industry was poor but needed to look good (at least acceptable) for their videos, gigs, etc. So I met and cut the hair of some famous, and infamous people, they’re people you’ve seen, and heard, and they appreciate that I don’t tell everyone. They appreciated the anonymity while at Big Hair and still now at Rev. Billy’s Chop Shop.
Then I went to work for Dale Milio at his salon on Clark and Belmont. It was similar to Big Hair but cleaner, and with 31 stations, a huge colorful family! Creativity, going out on a limb, taking chances — just BEING AN ARTIST was encouraged here. I WAS A HAIR ARTIST. I began at Milio’s in 1994 and didn’t leave until there were two fires and he sold the shop. The new ownership and I didn’t vibe, and I left in 2013. Serendipity, a series of unfortunate circumstances, luck and opportunity led me back to Big Hair for a short time, but I wasn’t on my own this time. Amanda, my wife, was with me for this part of the journey. Amanda had a background in medical massage, piercing, bar tending and many other facets of customer service that really qualified her for handling the business side of things, and I was horrible at the business or administration side of it. We complement each other and drive each other crazy at times, but it works.
Although things didn’t work out as planned with Big Hair, we soon found a new space and my amazing clientele continued to patiently and surprisingly stick with me wherever I went. Amanda and I knew this would be a challenge. We had contractors. They bailed, so Amanda and I spent six months doing everything to get a raw space turned into a one-of-a-kind destination, it was one of the biggest challenges we’d had so far, and it nearly destroyed us more than once, but we weren’t quitters! We wouldn’t give up on our marriage or our business, you don’t just give up, you figure out how to make things work, and we did. On October 31, 2014 Amanda and I opened Rev. Billy’s Chop Shop. We now have a full staff, won best hair salon in 2017 with Chicago Reader, about to celebrate our 4th shop anniversary, and rock mops seven days a week. I have an amazing clientele that followed me through two fires, and four salons — amazing because without them we wouldn’t be writing or doing any of this right now.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It absolutely has not been a smooth road, but it hasn’t been horrible either. Owning Rev. Billy’s Chop Shop, managing it, the employees, clientele, while being married to the other owner, being around each other every day, as well as many of the struggles mentioned in the section before, make things uniquely challenging, but as we’ve said before we’re not quitters. If there is an issue, a problem, personally, or with the business, we encourage each other not to sweep anything under the rug, but to make it right, and do that immediately.
A few others…
1. Establishing a staff with wonderful talent, great work ethic, and individuals that really take pride in their work.
2. Finding creative ways to do free marketing, establishing our brand, and making a name for ourselves.
3. As a small business in a big city it is always a struggle to stay afloat and not leave a big footprint. So we are always looking for ways to save money and be more GREEN, whether it be switching out plastic bottles of water for filtered tap water, or reusable materials for hair color application or various other services.
4. Continuing to always educate and find fun and inspiring classes for our staff to keep them engaged and not lose interest.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Rev. Billy’s Chop Shop story. Tell us more about the business.
Rev. Billy’s Chop Shop is a hair salon and active art gallery that changes artist’s bi-monthly. We specialize in cuts, color, extensions, dreadlocks, heath/integrity of the hair, and also the art on our walls. With our salon being an art gallery as well it gives us an extra edge and attraction to the public. Since we reopened the doors at Big Hair and now at Rev. Billy’s Chop Shop we have always wanted to support the art scene and showcase artists that are already established or having our venue be their first place to show. We have NC-17 on our front door because the art can sometimes be risqué, pretty out there, or just not suitable for a young eye. We are open to it all!
We are also very proud to offer all services without tacking a gender fee or label to them. No men’s cut this, women’s cut that…all services are a set price no matter how you identify yourself. Our doors are open to everyone, with a judgment free atmosphere.
We have a long standing relationship with the Chicago music scene. The musicians who play, the people who promote, produce, the industry that supports all of those facets of art add to what makes Rev. Billy’s Chop Shop what it is. You will also never hear any top 40 hits while visiting. We dig having a laid back environment while cranking just good rock n roll music.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
We don’t really look at any of our fortunes/misfortunes as good or bad luck. We are believers in the law of attraction and treating everyone as you want to be treated. We have played a very active role in the life of our business, and will continue to be active in actually doing something, not hoping that something will happen, but making those things happen. No matter what happens in our lives personally, or to our business, good or bad, we always learn from every situation and try to make the next situation better.
Our clients, friends, and family continue to support us as both a business, and as friends/family who happen to own a business, their encouragement along the way has helped us more than anything else. Just having a strong support system, however you identify that support system, has given us the strength to get through some of the best and worst times.
Pricing:
- All gender haircuts – $40
Contact Info:
- Address: 4314 N. Lincoln Ave. Chicago IL 60618
- Website: www.revbillyschopshop.com
- Phone: 773-248-CUTS (2887)
- Email: revschopshop@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/revbillyschopshop
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RevBillysChopShop/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/revchopshop
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/rev-billys-chop-shop-chicago-4
Image Credit:
Amanda Simmons
Rio Chavez
Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
