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OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — On the back of their t-shirts, it reads ‘Haircuts: 0, Lawsuits: 1.’
The DiGiacomo family owns a speakeasy in Blackstone. It opened in April of 2025 under the name, The Barber Shop. Located underneath Blackstone Social, the bar’s theme was a nod to Don DiGiacomo, their father, and Omaha’s barbering history.
Months later, the Nebraska Board of Barber Examiners sent a certified letter saying, because The Barber Shop does not employ licensed barbers, the family could not use the word “barber” or “barber shop,” nor could they display a barber pole.
With the backing of law students at University of Nebraska – Lincoln, as well as the Institute for Justice, the DiGiacomos are pursuing a free-speech lawsuit. In the meantime, they’ve changed the name of their business to The Censored Shop Blackstone – a change they expect to be temporary.
3 News Now sought reaction from the NBBE, which declined to comment.
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