At JD’s Barber Shop on Abbott Street in Gastown, it’s scissors down. Forever.
Judah Down has been in the neighbourhood, trimming hair and beards, for two decades.
Before the pandemic, he had 15 employees. Now he’s done.
“2020 the lockdowns happened and things have just gotten worse since then, so we are closing our doors today,” Down told Global News.
He blames a number of issues for his decision, saying “there’s a sanitation issue, there’s homelessness issues, there’s drug addiction, safety issues. I personally don’t bring my kids down here, even though my succession plan was probably to leave it to them.”
About six weeks ago, Vancouver Police launched Task Force Barrage.
The $5-million initiative targets gangs and organized retail theft on the Downtown Eastside. Residents say it is making a difference.
“I feel safer knowing there’s probably a policeman around the corner,” local resident Cindy Crawford said.
Down believes much more needs to change for businesses to return to the neighbourhood, adding, “it’s fixable, it totally is fixable, we should fix it. It shouldn’t be like this down here, this is not the way Canadians should be living.”
Down says he’ll now focus on his remaining shop, located at the Vancouver Club.
His Abbott Street location, now history.