Omaha Bar Faces Legal Battle Over 'Barber Shop' Name Amid State Regulations
In Omaha, a bar named 'Barber Shop Blackstone' has been forced to temporarily change its name to 'Censored Shop' following a legal dispute with the Nebraska state board overseeing the barber trade. The board argued that only licensed barbers could use the title 'barber shop' and display the traditional barber pole. The bar, owned by siblings Mike DiGiacomo and his family, was named in honor of their late father, a longtime barber. They filed a lawsuit claiming that the Nebraska Barber Shop Act infringes on their First Amendment rights by restricting non-misleading commercial speech. Despite their marketing clearly indicating the establishment as a bar, a federal judge denied their request for a preliminary injunction, leading to the temporary name change to avoid fines and potential jail time. The family plans to appeal the decision, with support from the Institute for Justice and the University of Nebraska College of Law’s First Amendment Clinic. 
