Friday, January 11, 2019 10:46AM
Master barber Jenny-Leigh Worley has been in the barber business since 2013 but has recently realized a dream she has had for a long time. Worley owns and operates the only barber shop in South Carolina within a Harley Davidson dealership, and is the second one in the U.S. to operate within a Harley Davidson store.
"Jenny came to us with an idea and wanted us to help her develop that idea," said Cody Watson of Timms Harley Davidson. “She had plans for events while traveling with a band but wanted something more permanent," he said.
Worley completed cosmetology school but what she really wanted was to be a master barber. She set her sights on it and went to work for a vintage barber shop in Greenville, where she worked for two years. After the shop closed the business, she went to work for a friend in Seneca. “I didn't want to be in a salon but I was itching to cut hair," she said.
With a crossover license and the desire to keep cutting hair, Worley began specializing in Pulp Riot coloring, which is a creative color line. All the while, she still dreamed of having a salon inside a Harley Davidson dealership.
Worley approached her friend Jesse James DuPree, who is on the board at Harley Davidson, and asked him to help her pitch the idea. She had been to the Sturgis, South Dakota, motorcycle rally and was given permission to be the only barber at Pappy Campground, which is inside the rally. It was the first time Harley Davidson moved H.O.G. (Harley Owners Group) to the campground and she was there for the entire 12 days of the rally. “It was so much fun I decided, along with the Full Throttle rally, to make it a yearly thing," she said.
DuPree approached Cody Watson at Timms Harley Davidson about the idea. DuPree had a great friendship with Timms and asked them to meet with Worley. “The stars just aligned," she said. “Someone finally listened to me, and here we are." Parlor 48 was born. The name stems from the establishment of Timms in 1948.
Business is booming for the barber, who offers hot shaves and straight razor shaves. "This is exactly what I had in mind and everyone has been wonderful," she said. "I told them what I had in mind for the booth and they made it happen. Realizing a dream just takes someone giving you a chance."
Parlor 48 is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. Walk-ins are accepted as well as appointments. Find her on Facebook and Instagram, and for appointments, call 864-784-0091.
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