Who: Barbone
Where: 53 Catherine Street, St Albans, AL3 5BN
WHEN DID THE BARBERSHOP RE-OPEN?
We rebranded the shop in April 2023.
WHAT DREW YOU TO THIS LOCATION?
After living in London, I came back to St Albans in 2007 and worked in a shop that was in this very location. Then, in 2010 I opened my own shop, fast- forward a few years, and I ended up buying the shop that I’d worked in back in ’07. It felt like a full circle moment. It was the first time I’d ever bought an existing business which already had a team in place, so it was a new experience – but a really positive one.
WHAT WAS THE EXPERIENCE LIKE TAKING ON AN EXISTING TEAM?
I couldn’t rest on my laurels and rely on past experiences. I had to slowly guide them into what I ultimately believed would be the right approach. Some people inevitably left, because not everyone likes change, but then as we’ve had new people come in and join the existing team, it’s been really cohesive.
TELL US ABOUT THE RENOVATION PROCESS – WERE THERE ANY CHALLENGES?
I like working with what’s already there – the path of least resistance. I do it all on paper first, so I have drawings everywhere, and I start big before slowly paring it back and focusing on the specifics like what materials I want to use and how I can keep to a budget. Because the space was on the smaller side, I decided to offset everything rather than keep it centralised, which helped us gain an extra 15-20cm on each section, and made it a little more comfortable.
WHAT INFLUENCED THE DESIGN?
My inspiration mainly comes from hotels I’ve stayed at, places I've visited around the wrold and my Italian heritage. For example, we've got a lot of granite and marble, so it has an Italian bathroom feel – it’s got that nice opulence about it.
WHAT IS THE FLOOR MADE FROM AND WHY?
I went for terrazzo flooring, which you’ll find in almost every old house in Italy. I knew the style I wanted to go for, but took my time selecting one that would work for my budget. Saving here allowed us to spend more on other areas, such as a nice lightbox outside.
TELL US A BIT ABOUT WHERE YOU BOUGHT THE FURNITURE AND ARTWORK
When I bought the shop, we inherited the barber chairs and the backwash, although I’ve since replaced the chairs. I opted for Takara Belmont’s Apollo Barber Chairs; from quality and longevity to aesthetic for me, their chairs have it all. As soon as our clients sit down, I want them to be comfortable.
IS THE BARBERSHOP MEANT TO APPEAL TO ANYONE IN PARTICULAR?
Everyone. We’re gender neutral, we just like cutting short hair. However, I would say that we tend to get clients who enjoy the finer details. We’re customer- focused; we like building relationships, which I think has contributed to our success. On this side of St. Albans, you tend to find a lot of people that have just moved out of London to buy their first homes, so I think we appeal to commuter professionals. Our salon's design and brand image are carefully curated to resonate with our target audience, modern folk who appriciate quality, craftsmanship and attention to detail.
WHAT MAKES THE SPACE UNIQUE?
I actually designed some of the features of the shop myself, including the stone clipper guard holders, which help keep the shop looking tidy, thanks to the slot at the back for any cables. When a client sits in a chair, it’s inevitable that there will be tools in front of them, but you want to make it look organised, rather than just thrown there.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER WAYS YOU HAVE WORKED TO CREATE A CLEAR BRAND IMAGE IN THE SHOP?
This is probably the first time I haven’t used self- branded capes. I met the guys from Rude Capes at Salon International and we got on really well. I selected the capes in an effort to have them purposefully not match – I like things to contrast. It’s almost like moving art, each time a client can have a different one.
DO YOU HAVE ADVICE FOR ANYONE LOOKING TO RENOVATE OR OPEN A SHOP?
To stand out, I think you need to offer an environment that is different, you really need to think about the aesthetic. There’s lots of inspiration out there, and that’s great, but I think your shop should be personal to you.
