It’s been five years since Razor Sharp Barbershop opened in Armstrong Student Center. Marquan Richardson, owner of Razor Sharp, remains committed to providing the Miami University community with an on-campus choice when it comes to barbershops.

For Richardson, who also owns shops in the Dayton area, the business goes back to his childhood.

“My mom used to do hair when I was a kid, and I always cut my football teammates’ hair,” Richardson said. “I always had a passion for doing it.”

Richardson started sharing that passion with Miami in November 2018. Months earlier, a student organization made a request for a barbershop service on campus, said Mark Taylor, Miami’s chief procurement officer.

After an extensive search, Richardson’s Razor Sharp was selected.

“It was more convenient for the students than going downtown,” Taylor said. “The primary objective is to provide a service to the students. They’ve been very successful in doing that.”

Richardson noted that Razor Sharp’s hours of operation are flexible and scaled for demand. With each year bringing new students to Miami, spreading the word is crucial.

Mark Taylor, left, Miami's chief procurement officer, and Marquan Richardson, owner of Razor Sharp barbershop, at Razor Sharp barbershop located in Armstrong Student Center's east wing.

Currently, Razor Sharp is open Mondays and Thursday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. More information can be found on the shop’s Instagram page, @miamiu.razorsharp, along with customer photos.

“We’re confident they’re going to be pleased and want to return,” Richardson said. “The biggest thing is allowing them to know that it’s here. It’s for the students.

Taylor Millard has cut hair at Razor Sharp for three months. Getting to know Miami’s students and hear their stories is one of the perks of the job.

Like Richardson, Millard also has a family history in the business. Her mother and aunt are both barbers, and MIllard is following in their footsteps.

“We just have a lot of barbering in our family,” Millard said. “We kind of pass it down.

“I’m excited to be here and happy to have the clientele that we do.”

In its first few years, Razor Sharp also featured a student nail technician — Quiyanni Smith, who graduated in 2020. Smith has since opened her own business, Q Nailed It, in the Cleveland area.

For Richardson, the passion is now about helping students, whether through Razor Sharp’s services or watching them launch a career.

“It’s really great to see her grow,” Richardson said of Smith, who was featured in a 2021 Miamian magazine article for her entrepreneurial spirit. “She took her skills to the next level and grew her clientele.”

Taylor hopes to see continued growth from Razor Sharp, too.

“At the end of the day, we want Razor Sharp to be the students’ primary choice for a quality haircut,” Taylor said.