Category: Barbers

Welcome to Furnish&Style’s Essential Barber Shop Guide. Inside, you’ll learn what goes into creating a successful barber shop business, including furniture and chairs, accessories, budgeting, design, marketing ideas, first impressions, example conversations, and more!

We’ve done lots of research into how new barber shop owners can experience the very same success of national chains, and collected all this information in an easy-to-follow guide. Running a successful barber shop, like any business, involves many different elements. We’ll be touching on all the most common issues and challenges that new barber shops face.

Furniture And Chairs

Testing out possible furniture and chairs for your shop personally, as well as getting the opinions of people with different body designs than you, is a great idea. The goal is to get the best combination of style and comfort in a universal sense. Meaning, a heavy set person shouldn’t find your barber chairs to not have enough padding. Similarly, a small-statured person shouldn’t feel like he or she is sitting on too much padding to be comfortable either.

The lesson is : Your barber shop furniture and chairs should have a universal appeal that can be enjoyed by everyone. And although the comfort level won’t be perfect for all body sizes, most everyone will be fairly comfortable overall. Here’s a few examples of barber shop chair designs to get you started :

  • Heavy Duty Old Style – This bolt-down variety of barber chair is the same type you see in barber shops of old. They’re HEAVY, and provide a feeling of unmatched solidity that’s missing in many New-Age shops. Typically these chairs are hydraulic and recline. These are the chairs you want to get if you’ve got the money, and they provide a level of comfort quality that’s second to none.
  • Modern Design – This variety of barber chair doesn’t provide the weight and feeling of a heavy duty antique style chair, but aren’t considered portable chairs either. They provide many of the same features of a deluxe chair, but in a scaled-down version. This means less padding, less weight, and construction material that’s not exactly as good as the deluxe models. But pound for pound, these chairs are really great, and most mainstream shops use these exclusively.
  • Portable – Portable barber chairs are much cheaper than the more deluxe, bolt-down variety, but they lack the overall solid feel. They can be setup in any location you choose, and their functionality goes along with. And while portable chairs don’t cater to the classic barber shop experience, they provide a level of comfort that’s respectable, by nearly everyone. The only drawback some people note is that portable barber chairs have an ultra-light feel, and can feel a bit “cheap” if not grounded properly.

Budgeting

The budgeting for a new barber shop can be broken down into a few main categories :

Barber Shop Location :

Rent or own. The average cost to rent is between $1,500 – $3,000 per month, depending on the location. There are some really good rental finds out there, but you’ll have to dedicate yourself to “the hunt”.

When renting a barber shop, it’s not just the cost of the retail location that you need to plan for. In many barber shop rentals, there’s also chair rental fees, and associated rental fees for the shop equipment, such as hairdryers, manicure stations, and more. Purchasing all the interior and accessory items, and only having to pay the rental fee for the location, makes better sense.

A much more budget friendly option is to purchase and own your new barbershop outright. The average barber shop makes about $30,000 in gross annual income. You can expect to pay around $40,000 for a barber shop building. And you’ll need around $25,000 of this on hand for the down payment.

Interior Decor :

These are the main expenses of the shop. Chairs, lighting, styling stations, mirrors, artwork, rugs, and more. You can expect to pay between $5,000 and $10,000 for the interior. But keep in mind, that’s while shopping smart and having a keen eye for special deals.

Accessory Equipment :

Handheld hair dryers, curlers, manicure equipment, bonnet-style dryers, broom/dustpans, misting bottles, bowls, shampoo supplies, and more, are all under the discretion of the owner. For a barber shop with 6 stations, expect to spend around $2,000 for equipment and supplies.

Insurance :

Allergic reactions, equipment failure, accidental stains, and slip-and-fall injuries all add up to one thing. The need for good insurance. There’s a variety of insurance plans available to hairdressers, including Public Liability Insurance, Product Liability Insurance, and more. Costs can vary.

Education, Training, And Experience :

Cosmetology school costs between $10,000 and $20,000, on average. All 50 states require hairdressers to possess a cosmetology license to cut hair legally. You may qualify for financial aid or scholarships, depending on your state.

Well known and popular Schools of Hairdressing can cost from a few hundred, all the way up to $5,000+. It makes sense to be as well rounded as possible with your certification and education accomplishments, so aim for the “middle ground”. Expect to spend around $2,500 on additional schooling costs if you want to “accent” a standard cosmetology license.

In order to cut hair legally, you must also satisfy the cosmetology requirements of your state. For example, in Illinois, applicants must have 1,500 hours of training completed before being allowed a license.

You must also factor in any state requirements concerning reciprocity, if considering a move to another state. This can include additional fees and experience requirements.

Utility Costs :

Heat and cooling during hot or cold months, as well as running water must be calculated into the budget. Heating with all electric is much more expensive than natural gas. For natural gas, around $30-50 per month is average. If you’re using all electric, this cost can soar to a whopping $100 or more! It pays to be smart with your heating choices.

Upkeep / Maintenance :

Equipment can break or malfunction, or wear down over time. Various items in the shop will need replacing, repairing, etc. Expect to be putting around 3% of your gross income per year into maintenance costs.

Property And Payroll Taxes :

Property taxes should be low, and that’s one of the main reasons people choose to own, instead of rent, their own barber shop. About $30 per month is a customary / average amount paid by most business owners. If you have employees, you must also factor in any payroll taxes mandated by the government.

A new barber shop owner should also have 6 months of available capital going in, as well as a solid network of people to rely on in the event of an emergency.

Making A Good First Impression

Body language is a key player in first impressions, and almost all businesses set the same behavior guidelines for their employees. When you’re at work, you’re not “on your time”, you’re on “business time”. You’re not free to do whatever you want, you can’t misbehave, break company policy, etc.

So, in an effort to make the customer feel more welcomed and appreciated within the confines of a business, where rules exist, employees use their body language to impress a feeling of professional comfort, respect, and appreciation.  It’s a skill that generates admiration and appreciation for the business, and also generates free “word of mouth” advertising if done well.

Adopting this practice into your own barber shop can work wonders, as will finding ways to do business better than you did before. You get to correct mistakes you make, increase your profit margin, and trim losses. And it’s a learning process you get better at over time.

For example :

A customer walks into your barber shop and notices that the floor has hair piled up from the previous customer. Although you thought you were acting quickly to get the barber shop clean, you didn’t act fast enough. The reason? You stepped out for a break before cleaning up, when you should have cleaned first so everything was ready for the next customer in advance. Instead of breaking when it was in the back of your mind to clean first.

The customer sees this and is discouraged by the site of the hair. Would it prevent the customer from returning? It could, so you should immediately correct this mistake and any others you discover as well.

Barber Shop Design

Whether you’re looking to create a modern designer barbers shops or are looking to setup a gentlemens retro barber shop, the design, window and curb appeal are essential for getting customers through the door.

Vidal Sassoon and REDKEN, which are very popular hair care brands, have both short term and long term academy training programs. Accreditations range from minor course certificates, all the way up to fully comprehensive diplomas. The cost ranges from a few hundred per course, all the way up to $5,000+ for full accreditation. After that, you can display the proof of your course completion right in your store. And they look great!

After graduating, the barber shop owner would be smart to design their shop around Vidal Sassoon or REDKEN entirely. Would it be illegal to state you’re an official franchise operation of Vidal Sassoon or REDKEN when you’re not? Yes! Would it be illegal to fashion your barber shop around the fact you’ve completed Vidal Sassoon or REDKEN academy courses and proudly offer their products? NOT AT ALL!

And even smarter would be to go all out! Vidal Sassoon or REDKEN barber shop signs, color schemes, official merchandise, and more.  And it’s not unethical! It would be likely to generate huge profits by CAPITALIZING on the Vidal Sassoon or REDKEN trademark and their amazing track records as companies.

Now, if a customer sees everything in your shop is Vidal Sasson or REDKEN, they will assume you work for, or are affiliated with them somehow. Which you are! You’ve completed their training and education courses. Customers will see your shop as 100% professional, with no “Mom and Pop” nonsense that could result in an uneasy/questionable environment.

Simply put and straight to the point, the design lesson is :

Mimic the look and feel off a real Vidal Sassoon or REDKEN location! But never cross the line in terms of trademark infringement. Don’t make false claims of franchise ownership or contractual involvement with Vidal Sassoon or REDKEN if it’s not true, etc.

Marketing Ideas

One of the hallmark “calling cards” of a successful business is a unique approach. Not a unique approach as far as offering something outlandish, shocking to the human psychology, or otherwise disturbing. But instead, “touching on” and offering something valuable that fits in with a barber shop repertoire seamlessly. Something other barber shops have missed offering in their everyday operations. But remember, anything that could set you apart in terms of uniqueness, could also you apart with less profits. You should have a well thought out and calculated plan, and be ready to get rid of ideas that don’t work out without fussing!

Test Your Marketing Ideas Against This Foolproof Guide!

If you’re running your own barber shop, and have been looking for that “something new” you could offer your patrons, you should “scan and analyze” your ideas beforehand. The following checklist can help you keep your ideas sane and rational, instead of allowing you to “finally give in” to brainstorming efforts in an exhausted state of being. Say NO to the “whatever, let’s just do it, it sounds like a halfway decent idea” frame of mind.

  1. Is what you’re offering a universally recognized and accepted barber shop include? Meaning, is what you’re offering able to be seamlessly accepted by a patron’s psychology without being a bother?

It Needs To Be.

Example : Offering one-time free “Send Off” of REDKEN or Vidal Sassoon products to the patron after the haircut. All the barber shop needs is the address to send it to! Buying these give-away items in bulk makes perfect sense in this situation. The giveaway becomes nearly cost free to the shop owner, and your patron will accept the gift for what it is. Official, factory sealed Vidal Sassoon or REDKEN items, sent from their warehouse. Guaranteed harmless, in other words.

  1. Is what you’re offering genuinely valuable? Meaning, you have to be able to say to yourself : “This is something I myself would love, need, and appreciate for its convenience, value, and ease of use, etc., either way!”
  2. Not many businesses are in the habit of giving something away for free. You have to make it as easy and harmless as possible for the patron to participate. Seamless and unassuming. The customer should think to themselves : “Heck yea, free stuff, and I don’t have to do anything to get it!”

Fuss-Free Loyalty Programs!

One of the biggest problems with a lot of Loyalty Programs offered to patrons is the “punch card system”. Customers don’t want to be bothered with remembering where this strange new card is. A much better solution is to log the haircut in your barber shop PC or home business management software. Upon reaching the “10th Haircut Is Free” event, your customer will be happily surprised when it happens. The beauty is in making it a “carefree” event.

Interesting Shop Decor For Waiting Periods

Interior decor choices are one of the most crucial aspects of owning a barber shop. And keeping things the same, year after year, never works for anyone. But drastically changing things quickly can shock and surprise the customers.

Like baseball memorabilia, vintage photographs, antique barber shop tools, timeline/history of popular haircutting achievements, adjustable LED lights in a backroom, Or PC cam linked to an Internet photo effect site so customers see their “new look” in amazing new ways! And more.

Change the decor from season to season to keep things fresh and lively. But make small changes that work their way into the final effect. Such as changing a major part of the color scheme first, but be careful not to “violate” the previous decor that’s still there.

Investigate What The Successful Barber Shops Are Doing Right!

Successful barber shops all have one thing in common. The strategies they use work to improve their business model and generate profits. As a business owner, you should make it your mission to investigate what goes into making them successful, record that data, and use it to formulate a similar plan for yourself.

Most barber shops are designed to cater to gentlemen. One of the main goals of a barbershop is to make the experience as enjoyable as possible, so presenting a therapeutically masculine environment makes perfect sense. However, it’s generally when talent takes a “backseat”, and outlandish offerings are presented, that profits plummet. Beer served with the haircut, dating in the back room, etc.

Cater To The “Realization And Result”Mentality

Everyone that’s interested in taking good care of theirself knows instinctually in the back of their mind that they should be doing BETTER in life than they actually are! They look in the mirror each day, and know they have imperfections that are a real challenge to them. As a shop owner, you HAVE to be able to “trump this card”, compliment the customers personality and physique, and do so without involving a negative “Realization And Result” scenario.

It takes someone with really good social skills to operate a controlled public environment like a barber shop. Someone so well-rounded in their social skills that they’re able to amuse and entertain nearly EVERYONE, is perfect.

And if you’re going to be courageous enough to offer your customers something new and exciting, you have to make ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN that they won’t be “put off” by it. Improvements that can’t be “singled out” or nit-picked because they’ve been done so well are best.

For example, you might really be offering a great deal on a haircut on a contract basis, but if it’s got tons of fine print and terms to protect you, even harmless ones, the customer will be “put-off” by the complexity. They’ll feel pressured, frightened, and most likely won’t return. Contracts are normal in many business arrangements, yes, but barber shops ARE NOT one of these. Nor have they ever been.

“Breaking The Ice” With Ted, A New Customer Of The Barber Shop

Example : Ted’s favorite barber shop eventually closed, and although he loved getting his haircut and being groomed there, at the end he was craving a nicer, more modern environment. Ted tries out a new barber shop for his once a month haircut, and is simply blown away by the wonderful experience he had.

Reason #1 :

Ted enjoyed the cleanliness of the new-found barbershop, it’s modern decor, and the fact that the owner is highly skilled in customer comfort, satisfaction, and conversation. In other words, the barber shop owner has immediately recognizable and adaptable social skills in working with brand new people. He made Ted feel welcome, cared about, at-ease, and GOOD inside.

Reason #2 :

The quality of the haircut, the hair care products, and affordability was fair and honest. Perfectly in tune with the well-known “Honest Work For Honest Pay” business design. “Honest Work For Honest Pay” has never failed as a business schematic. Customers need and receive a quality product or service for a price they can afford. It’s a Win-Win!

Reason #3 :

The barbershop was modeled after, and directly in line with, all the amazing hair care products offered by Vidal Sassoon. The barber shop owners comprehensive diploma, showing proof of his graduation from the Vidal Sassoon Academy Of Hairdressing, is proudly displayed on the wall. This led Ted to a small conversation with the barber shop owner as “small talk”.

Great “Small Talk” Conversation During Ted’s First Haircut

Ted : “Does Vidal Sassoon own this shop? Do you work for them? Everything I see in here has Vidal Sassoon on it! Haha”

Barber Shop Owner : “I went to school at the actual Vidal Sassoon Academy Of Hairdressing. I earned my degree there. I sponsor their products full time because I truly believe they provide the best combination of value and quality. I’ve learned so much from Vidal Sassoon, and I’m proud to play an active roll in their business.

Ted : That’s so cool! Your shop looks impressive, without a doubt. Do you make a lot of money at it? I mean, as a hairdresser?

Barber Shop Owner : Yea, sure. I make a pretty good living. Better than most people out there, I guess. Then again, it helps to live in the city, *Snip Snip*, you really get a feel for what people need and how to get with what’s going. *Snip Snip* You know, in terms of cutting and styling. *Snip Snip* *Takes a moment to look closely at Ted’s hair, as well as the progress of the haircut*.

Ted : “Do you ever cut for famous people? Your shop looks so professional!”

Barber Shop Owner : “Yea, a few famous people every now and then. They hear that I’ve completed the most difficult training course ever offered by the Vidal Sassoon Academy, and they’re like WOW, I don’t know anyone who ever passed that course! *Laughing*

And of course, I do so much for them, that they usually come back. It’s simply a matter of raw talent VS. a challenge. I guess I’m lucky to be so good at what I do. *Spins Ted around for a look in the mirror* Does that look good?”

Ted : “Wow, my God! That’s amazing! That looks GREAT! Thank you SO much! That’s just, wow! Definitely worth the price I paid.”