BCBusiness

(Jd's baRbeRsHoP) JennifeR mackenzie; (tHe beLmont baRbeRsHoP) a.m. kRakos; couRtesy of faRzad' s baRbeR sHoP 58 BCBusiness decembeR 2015 W ChOp ShOp: A tricked-out flaming Chevy wel- comes patrons into this retro '50s salon that's more Brando than Father Knows Best. You may remember it from the short-lived reality TV show starring its crew. W JuNIOr'S BarBErShOp: A relatively new addition adjacent to the West End, Junior's special- izes in black hair, from the clean and short to the buzz to twists. winter 2014. Monthly product releases are expected throughout 2016. HiGH/LoW FADe WHo: JD's Barbershop WHAt: When his bijou, 150-square-foot standalone salon, the House of Envy, was forced to vacate the last un- developed patch of Yaletown in 2003, Judah Down took it as a chance for change. His friend Peter van Stolk, founder of Jones Soda, was expanding to Seattle, where he noticed Rudy's barbershop chain and suggested Down start something similar this side of the border. Kickstarting Vancouver's new barbershop movement, Down signed a lease on Abbott Street and became "the ‚rst legit business on the block." To oset the once grotty 'hood, JD's Barbershop was a study in sandblasted concrete and industrial minimalism, with local gra§ti artists occasionally let loose on the walls. Today, the store anchors what has become one of the hippest streets in the most popular area in town. WHen: Opened Gastown location in 2004 WHere: 235 Abbott St. in Gastown and the Vancouver Club (members only) tHe Cut ABove: In addition to a growing line of branded, paraben- and alcohol- free grooming products, JD's spans the divide between Gastown's youthful streets and the more staid environs of the Vancouver Club. When the latter was undergoing renovations last year, many of his club regulars made their way to Gastown and discovered a neighbour- hood they hadn't really noticed before. CuttinG rooM WHo: Bangtown WHAt: Kurt Homan runs his antique iron barber's chair at Bangtown, a popular unisex salon with a deliber- ately shabby-chic vibe. A 25-year indus- try veteran, Homan lowered ears for politicos and lobbyists in Ottawa before escaping to the West Coast. As an instructor at Vancouver's London School of hairdressing, there's a good chance any young barber starting out in Vancouver studied under him. WHen: At Bangtown since 2013 WHere: 438 W. Pender St. tHe Cut ABove: Having trained as a screenwriter and produced indepen- dent ‚lms, he has an encyclopedic knowledge of American cinema. HAir DoWn WHo: The Belmont Barbershop WHAt: From the patterned †oor to the vintage barber chairs, this Mount Pleasant homage to the 1940s was born of founder Dustin Fishbook's desire to bring quality back to the trade of bar- bering. A decade after it ‚rst opened its doors in its basement location, the Belmont has become a true neighbour- hood barber shop, with regulars popping in just to talk or popping by with their kids for a quick trim en famille. WHen: Opened 2006 WHere: 111 East Broadway tHe Cut ABove: A couple of Fishbook's barbers are big hockey fans, but in deference to his customers, a prized Flames pennant is kept in the back. FAst CoMPAnY WHo: Farzad's Barber Shop WHAt: A refugee from Iran, Farzad Salehi arrived in Vancouver on Octo- ber 26, 1994. (Incidentally, that was also the day he met his future wife and salon manager, Shelley.) Starting with an empty shell on the corner of Homer and Davie Streets, he built the two-chair shop from scratch, striking out on his own after nearly 30 years of working for others. The checkerboard †ooring, hardwood panelling and fedora collection lend the space a decid- edly old-world feel that appeals to the neighbourhood's tech bros and the suits who make the trek up from the ‚nancial district for a hot shave from the owner or his other barber, Noriko Matsguchi. WHen: Opened in 2006 WHere: 126œ1208 Homer St. tHe Cut ABove: An avid motorcyclist, one corner of Farzad's shop hosts a single gleaming BMW or Ducati from a revolving roster provided by Paci‚c Motorsports. Trimmed for Length CLOSE CrOp (Clockwise) JD's Barbershop; Bangtown; The Belmont Barbershop; Farzad's Barber Shop

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