Anyone have experience with a Barber Shop business? (1 Viewer)

[Joe Bryant]

Anyone have experience in running or owning a barbershop?

Just looking for general info or really anything about the business.

Pros and cons. Margins. Worries.

Thanks.

 

[Dwayne Hoover]

Feel like their margins have to be pretty good where I live. For the shops where its not walk in and you have to schedule appointment in advance, it gets pretty expensive for a regular haircut and they are booked days in advance.

Realize this could be regional and I live in a pretty expensive place (Bay Area) where a lot of the clientele are well compensated, so that model may work better here. Obviously their rental costs are more expensive too so that does play into margins but considering what I imagine they pay their employees and what they can keep per haircut seems at first glance that its probably healthy

 

[KingPrawn]

Tough business. Not a lot of people can cut it

 

[The Big Donkey]

would not do it. too easy to clip it at home yourself, which i do. i get the community aspect of the shop.

 

[Rustoleum]

If it’s not an owner/operator situation, do the barbers all get paid directly by owner, or do they “rent” their chair from the owner?

 

[Mister CIA]

Tough business. Not a lot of people can cut it

It's shear luck.

 

[KingPrawn]

If it’s not an owner/operator situation, do the barbers all get paid directly by owner, or do they “rent” their chair from the owner?

I think the owner takes a little off the top

 

[KingPrawn]

Tough business. Not a lot of people can cut it

It's shear luck.

Time to brush up on the puns

 

[Snoopy]

The feel can give you a real buzz.

 

[dickey moe]

I'd lather you didn't.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

The owner has to find a way to shave costs.

 

[sho nuff]

would not do it. too easy to clip it at home yourself, which i do. i get the community aspect of the shop.

Depends on the goals/type of shop.
My step-dad was a barber/stylist. After years of "renting" a chair at a place, he opened his own shop (this was years ago before we moved from Wisconsin to Tennessee). What he already knew from being in the business was that the money wasn't in the cuts (especially at that time and especially not simple men's cuts). But in the coloring and styling. More time, plus markup on product...and women had been more willing to spend and be regular customers vs so many men who would just go wherever is cheapest. My experience was as my first non-lawn mowing job. I would either get dropped off at the shop Sunday afternoons or ride over on my bike, and give the shop a good cleaning.

Now...again, this was in the mid-late 80s. Even prior to retiring several years ago...he said he preferred the coloring and styling as it typically made him more money in the shops he worked at...and would guess ownership made more off those as well.

 

[Joe Bryant]

Feel like their margins have to be pretty good where I live. For the shops where its not walk in and you have to schedule appointment in advance, it gets pretty expensive for a regular haircut and they are booked days in advance.

Realize this could be regional and I live in a pretty expensive place (Bay Area) where a lot of the clientele are well compensated, so that model may work better here. Obviously their rental costs are more expensive too so that does play into margins but considering what I imagine they pay their employees and what they can keep per haircut seems at first glance that its probably healthy

Thanks. I'm trying to learn about the different ways these work. I'm sure there's a lot online but was hoping maybe someone here had experience.

As far as I can tell, there seems to be a few styles

• One where Barbers act like contractors and rent space in the business and they keep the money they charge.
• One where the Barbers are employees of the shop and are paid a salary
• A hybrid of the two

 

[AAABatteries]

Joe, are you considering owning or investing in one or just curious? Or are you hanging up the FF gig and being a barber?

 

[Witz]

http://www.barberguys.com/

It’s available…just saying

 

[jvdesigns2002]

Feel like their margins have to be pretty good where I live. For the shops where its not walk in and you have to schedule appointment in advance, it gets pretty expensive for a regular haircut and they are booked days in advance.

Realize this could be regional and I live in a pretty expensive place (Bay Area) where a lot of the clientele are well compensated, so that model may work better here. Obviously their rental costs are more expensive too so that does play into margins but considering what I imagine they pay their employees and what they can keep per haircut seems at first glance that its probably healthy

Thanks. I'm trying to learn about the different ways these work. I'm sure there's a lot online but was hoping maybe someone here had experience.

As far as I can tell, there seems to be a few styles

• One where Barbers act like contractors and rent space in the business and they keep the money they charge.
• One where the Barbers are employees of the shop and are paid a salary
• A hybrid of the two

I don’t personally have experience in owning a barbershop/salon—but my buddy who does my hair ended up starting his own pretty much in line when things opened up after covid. At first, he went the hybrid route where he would charge the stylsits rent for a station as well as take a percentage of what they made. In return, he would provide the supplies and would also have to provide them with a fair share of walk in clients. That system lasted several months when he ultimately ended up shifting to a method where he just rents out stations and does not take a percentage. He also leaves it up to the stylists to bring/provide their own supplies+products, and has no obligation to provide them with any share of walk in clients.

I think the method that you end up going with needs to factor in a lot of dynamics. If you have stylists/barbers that have their own loyal customers—a straight rent option probably makes sense for both sides. If your barbers don’t have their own client base and the shop is in an area where you have a lot of walk ins—you probably want to hire the barbers/stylists to insure that your customers are getting serviced. One potential downside to a straight rental situation is that the independent barbers/stylists can effectively make their own schedules—which could leave times/days when the shop is not properly staffed for walk ins. If your shop is in an area where you expect a moderate to heavy amount of walk ins—you probably will need at least some barbers on staff.

 

[Joe Bryant]

Joe, are you considering owning or investing in one or just curious?

Kicking around the idea of founding one.

This would be my model. https://youtu.be/G0RbgK1r21Y

 

[dickey moe]

Joe, are you considering owning or investing in one or just curious?

Kicking around the idea of founding one.

This would be my model. https://youtu.be/G0RbgK1r21Y

Definitely would need the barber pole out front and all staff would need to sport handlebar mustaches. An old timey piano or accordion player would be a plus.

 

[STEADYMOBBIN 22]

Joe, are you considering owning or investing in one or just curious?

Kicking around the idea of founding one.

This would be my model. https://youtu.be/G0RbgK1r21Y

I love it but imagine those personalities would be difficult to manage.

I have gone to old fashioned barbershops like that my whole life but when I grew my hair out for three years I went to a “stylist”. this place was like an entire floor of offices, but instead of offices, they were all different hair stylist. There must be 30-40 of them there and they all rent their spaces out individually. They have to buy their own products, get their own clientele and make their own hours.

Just a different perspective.

 

[Joe Bryant]

I love it but imagine those personalities would be difficult to manage.

I have gone to old fashioned barbershops like that my whole life but when I grew my hair out for three years I went to a “stylist”. this place was like an entire floor of offices, but instead of offices, they were all different hair stylist. There must be 30-40 of them there and they all rent their spaces out individually. They have to buy their own products, get their own clientele and make their own hours.

Just a different perspective.

I'm sure you're right. I work with a bunch of Fantasy Football fanatics. I'm used to unique personalities...

And yes, the independent model you're talking about is popular too. I think it sort of boils down to what you want the place to be. Is it strictly just a hair cut? Or do you want it to be more? I'm sure the demographic of people who just want a hair cut is larger. Thats fine. A place like this only needs a small percentage of the available market.

 

[kevzilla]

DOMINATE YOUR HAIR

 

[Leroy Hoard]

Looking forward to the weekly emails. Joe's "Razor Sharp" Observations.

 

[Craig_MiamiFL]

Haven't heard a barber success story since my GB Brutus. Went downhill after one of his visitors threw another through one of his windows.

Tough business unless you can make the outing an experience. That said, that experience can be as simple as having the same outgoing barber each time.

 

[The Z Machine]

Joe, are you considering owning or investing in one or just curious?

Kicking around the idea of founding one.

This would be my model. https://youtu.be/G0RbgK1r21Y

When I used to get my hair cut (It's past my shoulders now) I used to go to Old Bank Barbers in Hampden, Baltimore, MD. https://www.theoldbankbarbers.com/

They are an old school barber shop, but you can get any cut there. Free (crappy) beer in the fridge. They take female clients, no problem. No appointment, just show up and put your name on the list. The challenge is that there's some barbers that you find you really like so you have to wait for them to come free.

 

[Mister CIA]

Guy who coached my son's little league teams for a couple of seasons back in the aughts did pretty well for himself in the business world (think he worked for big pharma) and wanted to cut bait on his career. Of all things, he decided to open a barber shop - Family Barber Shop. I don't think he has any regrets, but honestly it's not something we'd talk about. Once or twice a year we bumps fists in Kroger and go about our merry way.

If there's a point here, he's got a lot of contacts in the local community and he nailed location, location, location.

 

[eoMMan]

Definitely a business to fade.

 

[Joe Bryant]

Guy who coached my son's little league teams for a couple of seasons back in the aughts did pretty well for himself in the business world (think he worked for big pharma) and wanted to cut bait on his career. Of all things, he decided to open a barber shop - Family Barber Shop. I don't think he has any regrets, but honestly it's not something we'd talk about. Once or twice a year we bumps fists in Kroger and go about our merry way.

If there's a point here, he's got a lot of contacts in the local community and he nailed location, location, location.

Thanks. I do know people who love being a barber as for a lot of them, it's the talking to people part they love. Similar to a bartender at the right kind of bar. There is also an element of very clear feedback on how you're doing and when the job is done. Tons of jobs don't have that. Lots of downsides too.

I'd see it more as creating a community space. Maybe there's a record store as part of it. Maybe something else.

 

[Joe Bryant]

Guy who coached my son's little league teams for a couple of seasons back in the aughts did pretty well for himself in the business world (think he worked for big pharma) and wanted to cut bait on his career. Of all things, he decided to open a barber shop - Family Barber Shop. I don't think he has any regrets, but honestly it's not something we'd talk about. Once or twice a year we bumps fists in Kroger and go about our merry way.

If there's a point here, he's got a lot of contacts in the local community and he nailed location, location, location.

I'd also be interested in the location part. Being what specifically makes it a great location. It seems that most of the "cool" barber shops are closer to our downtown.

 

[DA RAIDERS]

Joe, are you considering owning or investing in one or just curious?

Kicking around the idea of founding one.

This would be my model. https://youtu.be/G0RbgK1r21Y

Hawleywood's Barber Shop

Check out Donnie Hawley at the world famous Hawleywood's Barber shop & Shaving parlor and grab a hot towel and comb.Follow Us on EMUZE at: https://www.emuze....

www.youtube.com

this guy was successful. i think covid closed that shop and they're in long beach now. i only went once because my BIL wanted to go. PBR on tap was funny. and awesome. he didn't have a liquor license.

 

[El Floppo]

good luck, joe.

we've had a string of barber shops on our block come and go. not sure if it's a bad business or just our block.

another one around the corner uses their space at night for other events... started hosting a Fri/Sat open mic comedy night, that I think has persisted for a couple years.

 

[Joe Bryant]

Joe, are you considering owning or investing in one or just curious?

Kicking around the idea of founding one.

This would be my model. https://youtu.be/G0RbgK1r21Y

Hawleywood's Barber Shop

Check out Donnie Hawley at the world famous Hawleywood's Barber shop & Shaving parlor and grab a hot towel and comb.Follow Us on EMUZE at: https://www.emuze....

www.youtube.com

this guy was successful. i think covid closed that shop and they're in long beach now. i only went once because my BIL wanted to go. PBR on tap was funny. and awesome. he didn't have a liquor license.

I think it's a thing to give the beer away for free and not get a license. BBQ places in Texas do that which seems crazy but fun.

 

[Joe Bryant]

good luck, joe.

we've had a string of barber shops on our block come and go. not sure if it's a bad business or just our block.

another one around the corner uses their space at night for other events... started hosting a Fri/Sat open mic comedy night, that I think has persisted for a couple years.

Thanks GB. Yes, I think tying it to something else would be key. One for extra money but mostly as my goal would be make it as much a community center as a business.

 

[DA RAIDERS]

Joe, are you considering owning or investing in one or just curious?

Kicking around the idea of founding one.

This would be my model. https://youtu.be/G0RbgK1r21Y

Hawleywood's Barber Shop

Check out Donnie Hawley at the world famous Hawleywood's Barber shop & Shaving parlor and grab a hot towel and comb.Follow Us on EMUZE at: https://www.emuze....

www.youtube.com

this guy was successful. i think covid closed that shop and they're in long beach now. i only went once because my BIL wanted to go. PBR on tap was funny. and awesome. he didn't have a liquor license.

I think it's a thing to give the beer away for free and not get a license. BBQ places in Texas do that which seems crazy but fun.

for sure. art galleries in laguna do it as well

 

[Joe Bryant]

And for sure, this is just in the "dreaming" stage right now.

 

[Mister CIA]

Guy who coached my son's little league teams for a couple of seasons back in the aughts did pretty well for himself in the business world (think he worked for big pharma) and wanted to cut bait on his career. Of all things, he decided to open a barber shop - Family Barber Shop. I don't think he has any regrets, but honestly it's not something we'd talk about. Once or twice a year we bumps fists in Kroger and go about our merry way.

If there's a point here, he's got a lot of contacts in the local community and he nailed location, location, location.

I'd also be interested in the location part. Being what specifically makes it a great location. It seems that most of the "cool" barber shops are closer to our downtown.

Mostly that it's in the heart of affluent suburbia. I suppose it's not that important.

 

[johnnycakes]

Here's the barber shop I go to. I found them after I saw their ad that read something like, "If you need your wife or girlfriend to tell you how to get your hair cut, then we're not the shop for you." All their barbers are heavily tattooed... But they do a damned good haircut. Another reason I go there is I can get a straight-razor shave. Not many places do that anymore, but they do. And every haircut is finished with a straight-razor neck shave.

Ollie's Barbershop

www.olliesbarbershop.com

 

[Joe Bryant]

Here's the barber shop I go to. I found them after I saw their ad that read something like, "If you need your wife or girlfriend to tell you how to get your hair cut, then we're not the shop for you." All their barbers are heavily tattooed... But they do a damned good haircut. Another reason I go there is I can get a straight-razor shave. Not many places do that anymore, but they do. And every haircut is finished with a straight-razor neck shave.

Ollie's Barbershop

www.olliesbarbershop.com

Yes. That's exactly the vibe I'm going for. Straight razor neck shave is non-negotiable.

 

[massraider]

Mostly that it's in the heart of affluent suburbia. I suppose it's not that important.

In the discussion of what's happening to shopping centers, and how to get people back to them, this is a good one.
Barber shop near the city athletic fields, where kids get dropped off for soccer. Somewhere easy to schedule it.

 

[Mister CIA]

Let's crowd fund a barber pole tattoo for Joe.

 

[Joe Bryant]

good luck, joe.

we've had a string of barber shops on our block come and go. not sure if it's a bad business or just our block.

another one around the corner uses their space at night for other events... started hosting a Fri/Sat open mic comedy night, that I think has persisted for a couple years.

Thanks GB. Yes, I think tying it to something else would be key. One for extra money but mostly as my goal would be make it as much a community center as a business.

On that note. Record store would be cool to combine with the barbershop.

Or next level thinking would be a flower shop selling easy take-home flower bouquets.

 

[chocula]

Just seeing this but adding that I would buy or open a franchise such as Great Clips. The ones here in NC are usually super busy

 

[pollardsvision]

would not do it. too easy to clip it at home yourself, which i do. i get the community aspect of the shop.

Oh there's plenty of money in it.
I'm with you. I've never paid for a haircut and never would. But a whole bunch of people do.
I'd never pay for a car wash either, but car washes are printing money.
Most of the economy runs on things I wouldn't pay for though.

Don't know much about the barber shop business, but our restaurant is surrounded by them. They do great business. All on the chair rental model, as far as I know.

 

[psychobillies]

I'm 49 and I've never had the straight razor neck shave business. I think that's something I'd like to do one day. I don't know anybody around here that does it, but if someone did, I'd check it out. Especially if booze was available.

 

[Caveman33]

I attend barber college. Our dean has a nice salon but she packs us in like sardines. Probably 15-20 students per instructor. We pay her to give haircuts to customers, who also pay her for the cuts. She seems to be enjoying exotic vacations every month. Get GI Bill approved and set-up a barber college.

 

[Caveman33]

I'm 49 and I've never had the straight razor neck shave business. I think that's something I'd like to do one day. I don't know anybody around here that does it, but if someone did, I'd check it out. Especially if booze was available.

My school charges $15 for straight razor shave. $20 for a haircut. Go to a barber school. No need for coffee if you get a shaky student with an open blade sliding along your neck.