For as long as he can remember, Quandray “Q” Robertson has always been skilled with his hands.
As a young man, he began boxing at an early age and eventually developed a 17-year professional career in the ring. Although he never contested a major title fight, he managed to face some of the best boxers in the sport until he finally retired due to injuries.
Boxing wasn’t Q’s only skill; he had also been cutting hair since he was 17 and eventually decided to create his own space to do so. After his family moved to the Salem area, Q’s Barbershop opened in 2005.
“I had talked to some family members about it and ultimately made the decision to open the barbershop,” Q said. “This community needed a barbershop, a home away from home.”
In the end, the move worked out and he eventually purchased the building and surrounding land where they currently stand.
In 2015, Q and a business partner opened up Wildcat Boxing to spread the knowledge of the sport. The business started small over at the Kroc Center, and after a few years, they moved to Church Street Boxing.
Q split his time between the barbershop and the boxing club. “Boxing has benefited me greatly, as it’s kept me healthy,” said Q. “I fought professionally for 17 years and never made much money, but I was able to build relationships and develop a craft to give back.”
Things seemed to be going well at Church Street, but the worldwide pandemic reared its head. They had to put the entire year on hold, and eventually, Church Street Boxing was forced to close up shop.
Wildcat Boxing needed a new home, and Q decided to merge his two businesses at his currently owned property. The barbershop is in the front of the building, and the boxing gym is located in the back.
Fast forward to today, and Robertson has outgrown the space and is hoping to fully remodel the area and add a barbershop, a barber school, housing, and a new and improved boxing facility.
“Since then, it’s been going from strength to strength. We’ve outgrown the current space,” said Q. “The goal is to build a new building to expand it, in addition to building a barbering school and some residential units in the building.”
“We’re considering four units upstairs, the entire second school, a barbering school, a barbershop on the ground floor, a cafe, and a boxing gym in the rear.”
This ambitious project didn’t come out of nowhere, as Q has been working to secure funding and finalize details for the past four years.
The biggest challenge has been locating the funding for the project.
“I have some good pieces in place, and it will be in the same location,” Q said. “We have some preliminary plans and have met with the city. Whether it’s funding, guidance, or connections, that’s what the club needs right now to move forward.”
The boxing gym has seen the most growth over the years, as it’s affiliated with USA Boxing and allows boxers to potentially reach the Olympics. “There are so many opportunities in the sport, and I want to offer them to people in the community,” said Q.
While he works on securing funding, Q will continue running the barbershop and Wildcat Boxing north of downtown Salem. Q is also welcoming of anyone that wants to do boxing training, get a haircut, or meet over coffee in the spirit of making our community a better place.
