This story has been updated to include the name of James Burnette's business partner. 

PANAMA CITY — James Burnette had the idea of starting a barber shop as far back as 2018.

But two months after he started the process, Hurricane Michael hit. Then the pandemic followed, bringing his vision to a halt. 

Four years later, his vision is alive, and now he's ready to open Straight Edge Barber Lounge. Burnette opened the lounge with his business partner James David Giles.

The small, three-chair shop opens Friday as the city's newest barber shop. Straight Edge, at 2727 Transmitter Road, is scheduled to operate from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. 

"I always knew I wanted to be a barber. But I started noticing that there's really nothing unique about the shops around here," Burnette said. "So I wanted to open a place that gave a small town feel so everyone would feel welcome." 

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To kick off the start of his business, Burnette will hold a grand opening celebration all day Friday to connect with the community through food, music and haircuts. As a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Burnette said he wants to give back to those who protect the country. So he's inviting active and retired military and first responders to receive a free haircut from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

The celebration continues from 2 to 6 p.m., with live music from the FoxPlay band and food trucks Patches on the Go, Rise and Swine and Beach Freeze Ice Cream. 

Straight Edge is a lounge that has an old-school barber shop feel, Burnette said. The shop offers a lounge area, complimentary drinks, free WiFi, a TV and kids area.

"As a barber, I get the opportunity to talk to a lot of people every day, and I hope that everyone leaves my shop having a better day than they did before," he said. "As I'm getting started, I definitely want the opportunity to connect with my clients."

Burnette said that even though the term "straight edge" has multiple meanings behind its name, including a hardcore punk reference, he tied it to barber terminologies such as straight-edged hair and razors.

Looking into the future, Burnette has a plan to give back through free haircuts in the local community. He hopes to partner with Bay District Schools to expand a program called "Fades for Grades," allowing school students to get a free haircut when presenting a straight-A report card. 

In the coming years, he hopes to expand the business and open another shop in Bay County. In addition, Burnette said he's interested in opening a location downtown because of the growing opportunity in the area. 

"We're here in Panama City to make fades great again," he said. "Our outlook on each client is to make sure 100% is put into our services every time, and being able to impact individuals on a daily basis positively is what inspires me as a barber."