'Yes we did! Yes we did!'

Supporters celebrate where Obama gets his hair cut

The makings of a party were there early at the Hyde Park Hair Salon: a red carpet, a backdrop for entrance photos, food, liquor and television crews camped out front.

Inside, sharply dressed guests rooted for the salon's most famous regular client -- Barack Obama.

There was no hair-cutting on this night. The chairs had been moved aside and, during the early part of the evening, the mingling among the invited guests was more on a cocktail party level.

Then Ohio changed the vibe -- with the much-watched battleground state being called for Obama. That kicked up the excitement in the salon.

Guests whispered "wow!" and "awesome!" But there were no hushed voices when the entire election was called for Obama about 10 p.m. The man who gets his hair cut at the salon will be the next president of the United States.

"Yes we did! Yes we did! Yes we did!" chanted the crowd, many of whom rushed into the salon from outside at the announcement.

Lorenzo Crooks, 35, was near tears. "I'm going to get emotional, I might even cry," he said. "When I saw Barack was up, I was like 'Are you serious?' "

Crooks, the mortgage broker for one of the shop's stylists, was among the 60 or so guests who had business or personal contacts to the salon at 5234 S. Blackstone.

Businesses from around the neighborhood kicked in chicken, cakes and pastries for the party. Remy Martin provided the spirits -- with revelers drinking The Obama Knockout cocktail, a concoction of Remy Martin cognac, Cointreau, cranberry juice and pineapple juice.

The party had a Chicago Bears flavor as well -- with players Danieal Manning, Jason McKie and Kevin Payne showing up.

Susan White watched the returns with her husband, Brandon, and their sons, Bradley, 5, and Braxton, 2.

White had an unusual person to thank for the Obama victory. "George W. Bush is the greatest president in the history of the United States," she said. "If he had not screwed up, this day would not be possible."