Friday, October 16, 2026
A fast-moving fire on Grand Avenue Aug. 10 left four families displaced, forced three businesses to close, and damaged a church, prompting Baldwin barbershop owner Quentin Brown to launch a GoFundMe to assist those affected.
Brown, who has run Q’s Quality Cutz, at 1963 Grand Ave., for more than 20 years, said he first learned about the fire through a phone call in the early-morning hours.
“When I got there, I couldn’t believe it,” he said. “There’s a lot of damage. Part of me was emotionally displaced, like losing a family member.”
A faulty electrical outlet caused the blaze, according to the Baldwin Fire Department, which spread through the second floor and cockloft of the two-story building, displacing a total of nine residents, authorities said.
About 100 firefighters from the Baldwin Fire Department and neighboring departments responded to help extinguish the blaze.
The Red Cross assisted the displaced residents, and Brown has provided them with clothes and other essentials and has even taken several of them into his home temporarily.
Brown said several young people lived in the apartments above his barbershop, adding that watching them lose their homes was heartbreaking.
“A little 6-year-old boy looked at me and said, ‘I lost my bed.’ That affected me psychologically,” Brown said.
In addition to temporarily shutting down Brown’s barbershop, the blaze also forced the closure of a tax preparation service and a nutrition shop, and damaged the New Beginnings Pentecostal Church, which is attached to the building.
Brown said he had to relocate his six employees while repairs to his shop are completed, noting that operating in a new space has been challenging.
“It’s not an easy move,” he said. “Business is definitely down compared with where I was, but luckily the town has been very supportive.”
The fire marks the second one that has erupted in the hamlet in recent weeks leaving families displaced. An apartment building on Merrick Road in July forced families to evacuate after an electrical malfunction sparked that blaze, officials said.
After the Aug. 10 fire, Brown created a GoFundMe to raise money for shelter, furniture, food and other necessities for the displaced families, as well as to support the affected businesses and church. As of press time, the fundraiser had already raised more than $2,300.
“It feels good because it shows the community trusts me to do the right thing,” Brown said. “I’ve been out giving them clothes, sneakers, anything I could. These are people you see every day. We see each other every day.”
The building is expected to remain uninhabitable for at least six to eight months while repairs, including electrical work, are completed, officials said.
Brown expressed hope that the incident will highlight the resilience of the Baldwin community.
“Even if you lose, you can rebuild. Sometimes you lose things for a greater comeback,” he said.
To donate, visit GoFund.me/81deca0b.
