State banned Omaha bar from calling itself a ‘Barber Shop.’ So they renamed it ‘Censored Shop'
Although Mike DiGiacomo changed the speakeasy's name, they're still fighting to retain the old one
Omaha resident Mike DiGiacomo, his brother, and sister named their speakeasy "The Barber Shop Blackstone" to honor their late father, who was a barber. But another barber who worked at the Blackstone Entertainment District filed a complaint against the bar's name for being confusing and disrespectful to the profession. When the judge ruled against the DiGiacomos, the siblings reluctantly changed their bar's name to something more tongue-in-cheek, highlighting the controversy, News From the States reported. On May 28, 2026, Institute for Justice also covered the story on YouTube, which has received 81,000 views, 3,400 likes, and 838 comments since.
Disrespecting the trade
Don DiGiacomo, Mike's father, had worked as a barber for 50 years. He bought the building (now the bar) in 1977 and used it as his barbershop for three decades. They specifically chose the name to honor him and his profession. The "Barber Shop Blackstone" heavily leaned into the barbershop aesthetic. It did not have a sign outside, but they used the trademark barber pole to let customers know their location.
It also had a barber pun tagline: "Where the Buzz is Real." However, the complaint said, "The whole theme of this place is so disrespectful to the trade I wish people would stop making money off of it, because it’s a cool idea." According to the Barber Act of 1927, only licensed barbers can use the title "barber" or "barber shop." The same goes for the "trademark" barber pole. Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers believed that the DiGiacomos' bar name, barber's pole, and tagline were "inherently misleading."
Malicious compliance
Since the legal authorities were against the original name, the siblings complied, for the time being. They wanted to avoid "ruinous fines and even jail time." At the moment, the bar is called the "Censored Shop," and the trademark barber pole outside the shop will be "blacked out." But they are still fighting to keep their name because it is not just a name to them but has sentimental value to the family. The National Institute of Justice has joined the family's fight, and Robert McNamara, the deputy litigation director, told the Nebraska Examiner, "People don’t assume a barber-themed bar is a place to get your hair cut — just like people don’t assume a pirate-themed bar is helmed by a licensed sea captain. People have common sense."
Tribute to dad
The main reason Mike DiGiacomo and his siblings are fighting to keep the name is that it is a tribute to their dad and his profession. A 2023 survey conducted by Parents and Verywell Mind found that 83% of dads prioritize their family needs over their own. 26% expressed how they wished others recognized them more as a parent. Dads tend to feel unseen despite everything they do for their family.
Christy Livingston, a family therapist, said, "To feel seen is to experience living. We are social beings by nature, and feeling seen helps us feel a part of [something larger than ourselves]." Although Don had passed away, his family wanted to ensure that his legacy lived on. For them, keeping the name was about more than branding a business. It was their way of making him feel seen.
'What if their last name is Barber?'
People were making fun of the complaint filed by the barber. They even gave the siblings ideas on how they could take it further. @JohnMolloy-v4o wrote, "And you know someone is going to open a landscaping business called 'The Lawn Barbers.'" @MintCiti asked, "What if their last name is Barber? Is it still illegal to name their business The Barbershop?"
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