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A walk-in line for barbershops in Winston-Salem, NC

Winston-Salem grew about 3.1%, from 249,549 people in 2020 to an estimated 257,271 in mid-2025. Here is what that looks like for a barbershop.

257,271people in Winston-Salem, July 2025 Census estimate (3.1% since 2020)
3barber shops with employees in Forsyth County in 2023, about 0.7 per 100,000 residents
96beauty salons with employees in Forsyth County in 2023, about 23.9 per 100,000 residents

County Business Patterns counts only shops with a payroll, so chair renters and owners working alone are not in these numbers; the real count of places to get a cut or a color in Forsyth County is higher.

North Carolina rules every barbershop in Winston-Salem works under

These are statewide rules, the same in Winston-Salem as anywhere in North Carolina. Check the board's own pages before you open; they change.

  • File the notarized shop permit application with the barber board at least 15 days before the shop is ready for inspection, with the $120 inspection fee. The $50 permit fee is due before you open.
  • The shop must measure at least 196 square feet, with at least 5 feet from the center of one barber chair to the next and a clear 4-foot aisle in front of each chair.
  • Each chair needs a handwashing sink with hot and cold running water within 7 unobstructed feet.
  • You need a barber pole or a street-visible sign saying "barber shop" (or similar) in letters at least three inches tall.
  • Inspections are generally unannounced. The shop license and sanitation rating card are posted where the public can see them at the front of the shop.

Running walk-ins with NextUp Walk-in

  • Guests scan a code at your door and get in line from their phone, with no app to download. Print that code with the free QR window sign maker, and the printable sign-in sheet can carry it too.
  • They see their place and wait and follow it live from anywhere.
  • The TV in your lobby shows who's up, on every plan, Free included.
  • Plan a busy Saturday with the free wait time calculator.

More on how barbershops use the NextUp app in the barbershops guide.

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