Barber starting his own business loses all tools to car break-in: ‘It’s my livelihood’

PORTLAND, Ore. (KPTV/Gray News) – A barber who was working to open his own shop in Oregon is now facing a big blow to his business after all his tools were stolen – along with Christmas presents for his children.

Isaac “Ikes” Chambers has been cutting hair for eight years and is now starting his own business, Get Your Locks Off, in Portland.

Chambers said he had just gotten home from Black Friday shopping when his car was broken into in the parking lot of his northeast Portland apartment.

“When it happened, I was like, ‘Dang, how am I going to recover from it?’” Chambers said. “I had to deal with the momentary shock of it; I had a haircut that day.”

The thief didn’t just take the Christmas presents for his five kids. They also took $1,500 worth of barber tools.

“It’s my livelihood, it’s how I work, it’s how I pay for my kids, everything,” Chambers said.

Chambers said the robbery was a huge setback for his business, but he’s still planning to open in his new space.

Thankfully, a few local barbers pitched in with loaner tools to help him get by.

However, while he’s grateful for the help, he said nothing compares to the supply he spent nearly a decade building.

“You make something yours, they’re personal to you. Like your shears, they’re personal to you,” Chambers said. “Even when you’re using someone else’s tools it’s like, ‘This doesn’t feel like my tools.’”

Fortunately, someone in the community wanted to step in and help.

Amanda Lynn Deal has spent years in local comedy clubs alongside Chambers. She said she’s taken help from friends before and knows it can be difficult to ask for, so she wanted to pay it forward.

“He’s also really supportive in the community, always sharing people’s events or their posters for their shows, always trying to get the word out for other people,” Deal said. “So, when I found out about this happening, a lot of comedians were already commenting, ‘How can I help? What’s your Venmo? What’s your Cashapp?’”

She started a GoFundMe that has already collected about $2,000 to help Chambers come back even stronger.

“I actually feel uplifted by it, very appreciative of how the community came and helped,” Chambers said. “There wasn’t even a reluctance to what can they do – they just hopped on, and they did it.”

Chambers said he hopes to have his new shop up and running in three to four months.

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