Nothing But Net for Palmetto Bay Barber

COVID-19 taketh. And sometimes COVID-19 giveth. Mohashie "Mo" Rodriguez, an award-winning stylist, opened The Cut Stop Barbershop in Palmetto Bay in 2013 and quickly earned a reputation for his work. For more than three months in 2020, he was forced to shut down his 10-chair shop due to Coronavirus restrictions. When the restrictions were lifted, only 3 barbers came back and patronage was down too. To this day, Mo is only doing about 30% of his normal business. Things were looking bleak…until the NBA came calling on July 2.

Mo was cutting hair, razor in hand, when he answered the phone and was informed he’d be one of six barbers working for the NBA at their “bubble” in the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida cutting the hair of the more than 300 players from 22 NBA teams.

Of all the barbers in the world, Mo had previously made the cut (pun intended) down to 50 potential stylists to join the NBA bubble. He did so because Mo is already hair stylist to Jae Crowder (Miami Heat) and Rajon Rondo (LA Lakers). Other NBA players also get cuts from Mo from time to time, traveling to Palmetto Bay specifically to do so. “I am told I earned their respect through my professionalism,” explains Mo. “And my ability to cut hair in my own style and image.”

Some of Mo’s awards from barber competitions

Six days after getting the call, Rodriguez said goodbye to his wife and kids and traveled to Orlando to start a tightly-controlled 7-day quarantine at an off-site hotel. Once he finishes with that and tests negative for Coronavirus several times, he will join a team of other staff at an inside-the-bubble hotel at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex where everyone will stay isolated with each other for the duration. Even inside the bubble, social distancing and mask-wearing will be enforced.

Mo in his quarantine hotel room with NBA mask on

Mo isn’t sure if he’ll have access to watching games or practices (likely not), but he does know that the NBA will help him set up his own barbershop in one of the hotels. From there, NBA players will call in for an appointment. Rodriguez expects he might perform as many as 25-30 haircuts per day. Perhaps under that workload he won’t even have time to catch a game on TV!

His initial contract with the NBA is for 30 days. He’ll be paid a healthy flat rate for the 30-day contract, and players are able to tip him. He and the NBA can discuss additional 30-day contracts thereafter. “The season is for three and a half months, and I intend to sign on for as long as they’ll have me!”

So COVID-19 shut his shop down, but it also giveth in the strangest of ways. “Financially, this was a no-brainer.” Mo believes that his first 30-days at the NBA bubble should help him recover 100% of his business losses during the shutdown. He even dreams that if he can stay on that he might be able to pay off his home mortgage.

Inside the Palmetto Bay shop

 “I’m not happy that COVID happened, but I am happy that I got this opportunity,” explains Mo. “I hope to God this is the only year that they'll ever have to do this because of a pandemic or for any other reason, but I'm just glad I'm able to be a part of it because this is NBA history.”

If you want an NBA-worthy haircut, be sure to check out The Cut Stop Barbershop at 9849 East Fern Street or online at thecutstopbarbershop.com.