More Than a Hair Salon: How Darwin Young Built a Community at Who’s Bad

If a man’s true wealth is measured by the community he builds, then Darwin Young is a king. After four decades perfecting the look and boosting the confidence of countless clients, Young recently received the ultimate tribute: a profound act of love organized by the very people whose lives he touched.

By Cecil Egbele | Contributing Writer | California Local News Fellow

Darwin Young

If a man’s true wealth is measured by the community he builds, then Darwin Young is a king. After four decades perfecting the look and boosting the confidence of countless clients, Young recently received the ultimate tribute: a profound act of love organized by the very people whose lives he touched.

Now 66 and battling Parkinson’s disease, Young’s cousin, Tracy Jackson, feels he should feel the full weight of his legacy while he is still present. So, she organized a special ceremony, a preemptive celebration that brought together the people he had helped and influenced.

“I wanted him to feel the joy and love of the people that he helped and that surrounded him through his journey in life,” she said.

Young’s journey into the beauty business was almost preordained. His brother, Lyle Furlow, recalls that Darwin was always deeply into style and fashion. This wasn’t a sudden whim; Young was a third-generation stylist, carrying on a family tradition that transcended gender. 

“As we were growing up, he started wearing a perm in his hair. He’s a third- or fourth-generation hairstylist. We had great grand aunties, grand aunties, and aunties who were hair stylists before him,” Furlow said. He added that what many people don’t know about Young is that before his passion for hair grew, his first love was in the culinary field. “As a young adult, he started off as a cook, he was a fry cook,” he added.

Young’s passion for cooking, hairdressing, and his work ethic were the result of his upbringing. Growing up as the second of four siblings with a single mother who was a strict disciplinarian, instilled in him the values of hard work and living right.

“My mom worked a shift from 4 p.m. to 12 midnight, and she still had total control of the home, whether she was at work or not. She instilled in us the value of hard work and ensured that we did everything correctly, he said. 

He perfected and certified his skills at Lyle’s Beauty College, Bakersfield, in 1977. His first industry experience was at The Pacesetter Salon, one of the most popular beauty parlors of the time. Geri Spencer, who mentored him, remembers him fondly.

“He was genuinely interested in hair dressing. His heart was in it. He loved what he did, so it wasn’t work, it was something that he enjoyed doing,” said Spencer. “What made me believe that Darwin was going to make it was that he didn’t develop an ego like some male stylists. He was committed to just styling the hair of women and seeing them leave the salon looking beautiful.”

Spencer recalls with nostalgia when Darwin first conceived his business name. 

“When Michael Jackson’s song, ‘Who’s Bad’ came out, I remember Darwin saying that was gonna be the name of his salon. We all laughed,” Spencer said.

Who’s Bad Salon (courtesy photo)

And true to his word, shortly after his time at The Pacesetters Salon, he launched Who’s Bad Beauty and Barber. At Who’s Bad, he amassed a huge clientele and mentored many other hairstylists, one of whom is Pamela Gordon. 

“After graduating from beauty school in 1987, I did a little training with him to reinforce what I had learned and after obtaining my license, I worked as his assistant,” Gordon said. “He gave me a huge opportunity with lots of education. After being his assistant for six months, I became an independent contractor.” 

After accompanying and experiencing hair shows with Spencer, Gordon recalled the large-scale fashion shows Young organized, which became major, multi-day events drawing participants from all over Northern and Southern California.

“Mrs. Spencer introduced him to going to hair shows, and Darwin introduced us, his crew at Who’s Bad to Black hair and fashion shows,” said Gordon.

Tracy Jackson remembers with nostalgia how participating in Darwin’s events helped boost her clothing business.

One day, he said to me, “Hey, cousin, I’m going to start doing some shows. Would you like to be part of it and showcase your fashion? And I was like, ‘Yes.’ We would go to different fashion shows in and out of state, and I would dress the models. It helped me launch my business to where it was known all over,” said Jackson.

His renowned “Who’s Bad Salon” on Chester Avenue quickly became the thriving heart of Bakersfield’s Black community, functioning less like a commercial enterprise and more like an extended family.

Young’s reputation soared because his talent was undeniable. He didn’t limit his craft; he mastered it. “He could do any style of hair,” said Jackson, noting that while he was prominent in the Black community, his clientele was diverse, including white and Hispanic patrons. His versatility in intricate male and female hairstyles, cemented his status, with people hailing him as one of West Coast’ finest. These accolades earned him features in publications like Jet Magazine, one of America’s most influential publications at the time. He even had his own line of hair products, a testament to an entrepreneur who wants to leave a lasting legacy.

His dedication to community building extended far beyond the salon chair. He was a tireless philanthropist and organizer, using his professional platform to uplift others. He had relentless “dedication to his work,” as his brother Lyle said. This fostered a network of loyalty that returned to him in his time of need. 

As the toll of his health weighs heavily on him, Jackson, who organized the ceremony in his honor, believes he should receive and smell his flowers while he can.

“I organized this appreciation ceremony for him because, with him having Parkinson’s, I wanted him to know that he is appreciated for all he’s done for the community. And to know he is special,” Jackson said.

As Young sat in a wheelchair, surrounded by family and friends, he listened with nostalgia to the accounts of people who had crossed his path. Every person who attended the ceremony represented an investment he had made. There were former assistants, like Gordon; designers whose businesses were launched at his famous fashion shows; the youths he mentored and counseled, and community leaders, including Patrick Jackson, the president of the Bakersfield branch of the NAACP.

“Darwin embodies the essence of what the NAACP is all about, community, creating opportunities, and economic development,” Jackson said. He was a businessman and creative who was involved in his community, and when he got to a certain level of echelon, he didn’t forget about those coming behind him,” he added. 

“One lesson I learned from Darwin and I still practice today is ‘Be on Time.’ If you’re not going to make it on time, let your client know because your client will end up becoming part of your family,” Gordon said.

As an entrepreneur and community leader, Young’s generosity was said to be legendary. He provided opportunities, gave scholarships, and transformed his salon into a second home. These memories were replayed during this night of tribute. 

“He did a lot of things behind the scenes. He was very in tune with giving back to the community, like offering scholarships to young people. He gave lots of young people the opportunity to learn and launch their careers,” Patrick Jackson said. 

Young’s legacy is built on the simple but powerful idea that service is not limited to technique and a hefty bank account. He used his business to build culture, provide education, and give back, transforming a local salon into a hub for the black community of Bakersfield.

Darwin Young

If you have a story idea, a tip, a scoop, or simply something you feel isn’t being talked about enough, I want to hear from you. Reach me directly at cecil.egbele@ognsc.com. Together, we can make sure that Bakersfield’s Black community is not only seen but heard.

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