Sebastian Jackson

A Detroit social club owner laments the ongoing segregation of the places where “information is exchanged”—like churches, barbershops, and schools—and encourages our society to create more opportunities for diverse collaborations and the “collision” of communities.

By Team XQ

Founder, The Social Club Grooming Company

Sebastian Jackson, founder of the Social Club Grooming Company, hopes to create an identity that will cultivate personalities as a brand and place where creatives come to inspire and be inspired.


Sebastian’s first three business plans were rejected by Wayne State University, which is where he was determined to establish his first Social Club. In 2012, he and his wife, Gabrielle eventually succeeded in opening the Social Club Grooming Company, built with reclaimed lumber from blighted Detroit homes, on Wayne State University’s main campus. They’ve partnered with a local park to build a greener city, using clippings of cut hair to fertilize over 200 new trees. He takes pride in the diversity of both his staff and clientele. The barbershop has historically served as a community hub, and he plans to recreate that experience for all Social Club members while disrupting the industry.