Marble Hill barber, community fight eviction

Backlash from community members and elected officials appears to have forced a landlord to reconsider an eviction notice to longtime Marble Hill barber Roosevelt “Rosey” Spivey.

On Jan. 30, Mr. Spivey’s legal representation met with lawyers for the barber’s landlord to work out a new lease for the barber. Mr. Spivey has cut hair at his Marble Hill International Unisex Salon on West 228th Street for the past 53 years. 

“We are in an open dialogue with the landlord about terms on which Rosey would be able to stay on in the shop, and we hope that we may be able to come to a satisfactory resolution,” said lawyer Paul Ellis, who is working pro bono for Mr. Spivey along with attorney Sergio Marquez.

On Jan. 5, Mr. Spivey received a 30-day “notice to vacate” from his Brooklyn landlord Abraham Rosenstock. An assistant to Mr. Rosenstock previously told The Press the company wanted to open its real estate office in its Marble Hill building. 

The development outraged community members. A Change.org petition addressed to Rep. Charles Rangel and state Sen. Adriano Espaillat called on the politicians to help save the barbershop. As of Tuesday, it had garnered 871 signatures. Mr. Espaillat and Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez, whose Upper Manhattan districts include part of Marble Hill, wrote letters to Mr. Rosenstock asking him to change course.

Meanwhile, Rev. Nathaniel Dixon of St. Stephen’s United Methodist Church in Marble Hill and Tony Edwards, Mr. Rodriguez’ community liaison to the neighborhood, asked Mr. Ellis to provide legal assistance.

Cutting customer Alvin Grant’s hair at his barber station on Jan. 30, Mr. Spivey said he was thankful for the outpouring of support from the community and optimistic that the issue with his landlord would be resolved.

“Everything is going well right now. By next week, we’ll have everything finished,” he said.

“He’s needed in this community,” Mr. Grant said. 

Like Mr. Spivey, the salon’s second barber Garfield Myrie, 43, who has worked at the shop since 1990, was moved by the community’s response to the news.