When Sean Caudill isn’t cutting men’s hair in his
Newport barbershop, he’s venturing through the city in search of those in need who would appreciate it for free.
Caudill, better known as Spanky, has been a licensed barber and cosmetologist since 2010. His nickname came from an uncanny resemblance to Spanky from
The Little Rascals as a child and was an easy choice when naming his barbershop, Spanky and Co., which he opened earlier this year at 439 W. 12th St.
The Union, Ky. native loves what he does for a living and strongly supports giving back to the community, specifically the homeless.
“The homeless has always held a special place in my heart,” Caudill says. “Some of these people just need someone to talk to. It makes their day and gives them hope for tomorrow.”
His inspiration for cutting the homeless’ hair came from stylist
Mark Bustos, who cuts hair of the homeless for free every Sunday. Bustos is currently on a national tour that started in New York and will end in Los Angeles.
Caudill will approach people on the street and offer to cut their hair. Afterward, he shows them before and after photos so they can see the difference. He has plans to team up with a close friend and local photographer to bring a mobile printer to provide a hard-copy photo they can hold onto.
Caudill encourages everyone to help the homeless in their own way by giving some of what they do for a living back to the homeless community. But most of all, he wants to show others that everyone deserves to be treated equally.
“It’s a lot harder for some people to bounce back after a tough time,” he says. “Talk to them, ask them how they’re doing, hug them.”
Do Good:
• Help the homeless in your community in your own way.
• See some of Spanky's work on
Instagram.
• Visit Spanky and Co.’s
Facebook page.
Enjoy this story?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.