Anchor of Community

Omar Rodriguez and the impact his barbershop, Line and Anchor, is making beyond Royal Square

BY BRONLEY MARTIN I URBAN REVITALIZATION MANAGER, DOWNTOWN INC

For Omar Rodriguez, owner of Line and Anchor Barbershop in Downtown York’s Royal Square District, cutting hair is about much more than just giving people a fresh look. “Being a barber is also being a friendly ear, a therapist, a confidant, and a whole lot of other things,” Omar joked. Since opening in 2016, Line and Anchor has served as a place for people to feel comfortable being their unique selves and share that uniqueness with others.

Omar has been around the barbershop business for as long as he can remember. His father owned a successful barber shop in Harrisburg before moving to Texas. After working in the restaurant industry for a while, Omar decided to take up the family business and attend barber school. After apprenticing, Omar was able to cut hair at New York City Fashion Week events on multiple occasions and was even invited to show off his skills at Paris Fashion Week.

We see a huge diversity of cultures in and out of here every day. From African American to Latino, Caucasian to Asian, and much more, our clientele reflects the diversity of York.

- OMAR RODRIGUEZ, OWNER, LINE AND ANCHOR BARBERSHOP

Omar first opened Line and Anchor outside of Downtown York but when he found out that his current space in Royal Square would be becoming available, he jumped at the chance to be a part of the downtown community. “I love the community of merchants in our neighborhood,” Omar said. “Everyone is always pitching out new ideas and always willing to help with each other’s projects.”

Beyond its role as a community barbershop and salon, Line and Anchor is also deeply rooted in community outreach. Omar and his team have run toy and supply drives for women and children escaping abuse as well as helped hand out free Narcan opioid-reversal kits.

In the future, Omar hopes to host a small punk rock music festival next to the shop with food and activities for families. In a city as multicultural as York, Line and Anchor serves as a microcosm of the community it serves. "We see a huge diversity of cultures in and out of here every day," Omar notes. “From African American to Latino, Caucasian to Asian, and much more, our clientele reflects the diversity of York." This diversity is not just celebrated but embraced wholeheartedly, creating a sense of unity.

Omar continues to look for opportunities to expand his business and his community impact. He is opening a second Line and Anchor location in Mechanicsburg and would love to see the business expand across southcentral Pennsylvania. “It’s really a simple recipe,” Omar says, “You make people feel good about themselves and give them a cool, fun environment to hang out, and business is good.”

Line And Anchor Barbershop

119 S Duke St | linktr.ee/lineandanchor