After 25 years in Richmond, 'Eddy the barber' is still living the American dream

For those who grew up in the United States in the 1980s, Michael Jackson, Tina Turner, and Bon Jovi were everywhere. They appeared on MTV, their music pervaded radio stations, and they even had roles in movies. They were hard to miss. 

These American artists represented something different for those who grew up in Cuba in the 1980s. Listening to them was an act of political subversion. 

Edilberto "Eddy" González grew up in Cuba during that time, in the city of Camagüey. When he threw parties, he played the American music that he loved and had recorded on cassette tapes. But he did so cautiously, as a neighbor could report him for the music to the authorities. He knew to be wary of the government from the experiences of his family, as his paternal grandfather spent time in prison for his politics. 

“Everything in Cuba is illegal. All in Cuba is illegal,” he said “All the American music I record: illegal.”

Growing up in Cuba everything was also political. This is why González can’t help but chat about politics with his clients at the barber shop he runs out of his house in Henrico County.  

“The barber school say don't speak politics,” González said. “I speak politics.” 

González immigrated to the U.S. in 2000, winning a visa lottery, with his wife and child. Leaving Cuba meant leaving family and friends behind. For González, it was an “easy decision.” His desire to move to the U.S. ran so deep that he nearly took a boat to the country in the early 1990s, but his mother convinced him not to take such a risky trip. 

When González arrived in the U.S., he spent his first two days in Miami and then moved to Richmond, where his wife’s family had planted roots two years earlier.

“I’m free,” he thought to himself. 

Many Richmonders helped him settle into the new city, but his in-laws were particularly supportive. He had been cutting hair since 1991, so his mother-in-law helped him secure a job as a barber at a salon.

He quickly fell in love with the city. It was quiet, had good schools, and there were many “beautiful people,” he said.

Some of those people helped him adjust in those early days, including fellow barber Charlie Hockett. 

“People surprise you,” González said. “He looks like guy from West Virginia. You know? Tough guy. But he's very sweet and humble, man.”

Another of those people was Marji Robertson, who spoke Spanish and brought her son Fritz Kling to get a haircut. Kling is still González’ client 25 years later. He estimates that he has referred a couple dozen people to González. 

“I think his story is so great, and I don't know anybody that doesn't want to be part of it,” Kling said. 

The two have become close, with Kling attending González’ naturalization ceremony. González said Kling helped him learn English. They worked together on pronouncing challenging words, like “New York” and “yellow.”

Kling appreciates the diversity of the shop. Different types of hair dot the floor. González takes pride in cutting the hair of a broad swath of Richmonders, including people from Australia, South Africa, and Sri Lanka. 

González opened his shop out of his home in 2006. Through it all, he has maintained a positive attitude. Just two years after he opened his shop, the Great Recession hit. Kling remembered asking González if it was impacting his business.

“No,” González told Kling. “Every day I'm living the dream. Compared to everybody back in Cuba, I’m like a king.”

All these years later, the sentiment holds.

“I’m free in USA,” he said. “I love USA.”