We are all about local. We like our businesses, our schools and our community to have that authentically local feel that makes us all want to call Lakewood home. And that’s why we head to Sport Clips, owned by East Dallas dad Chris Loper.

That sense of community is what attracted Loper and his family to the neighborhood in the late 1990s, where they quickly entrenched themselves. Loper coached soccer and basketball, became a member of the father’s group at Lakewood Elementary School and helped out at plenty of school fairs and fundraisers. It was that love of community that made him realize he wanted to spend more time here, and less time commuting to his corporate career that required travel and time away from his wife and two daughters.

“I gave it up to have freedom over my schedule,” he says. “It was the best decision.”

Taking a leap of faith, he opened three local SportClips franchises on Knox St., Preston Royal and Lemmon Ave, despite not having any experience in the salon business. The national brand set itself apart in the styling scene by being a place for guy’s guys, complete with big-screen TVs that play nothing but sports.

Over the years, Loper acquired more stores, expanding his franchise business throughout Dallas, Plano and Carrollton.

But this month he’s focusing on the neighborhood he knows and loves best, Lakewood. His newest store opened last month at 6333 Mockingbird in the Mockingbird Commons Shopping Center, and he’s already brimming over with plans for how the new store can help him build the community. Expect to see promotions to benefit local schools and partnerships with the VFW and CarterBlood Care, which has been a staple of Loper’s business practice since he first opened up shop.

“For me, it’s all about giving back here in Lakewood. This is where my family is, this is where I want to invest,” he says. “We live here and we love it here – just like our customers.”

6333 Mockingbird Ln. Dallas, TX 75214

Mockingbird Commons Shopping Center, 214·434·1523