(ABOVE: Photo by Devyn Barrie.)
After a collective 22 years at Heads Up Barbershop on Stittsville Main Street, two local barbers are going it alone with their own enterprise, the days-old Stittsville Barbershop.
Rick Lamondon and Steve Baroud, with a combined 50 years of barbering experience, have had a steady stream of customers since opening their doors at 1540 Main Street a few days ago.
“It was time to branch out on our own.” Lamondon said of their departure from Heads Up. “Start something fresh. We had a different vision as to what we wanted the barbershop to look like, so we decided to do something on our own.”
What kind of a vision? Lamondon says their venture will combine the traditional barbershop with a little extra for clients, including a recreation room for people to relax in and a spa on the second floor.
“I’d like it to be more of a community barbershop, where people are happy to come and they’re happy to stay.”
Having just opened, you might not think they would have had many customers. Driving or walking along Main Street, the sign out front is unmistakable. Lamondon says they have had several new customers simply walk in off the street to try them out, as well as loyal clients brought over from Heads Up.
“It’s in a busy spot, we’re in a nice location and if we can fix [the building] up nice, I think the gentlemen in Stittsville would really enjoy coming to get their hair taken care of here, along with other services we may provide in the future.”
Building-wise, it wasn’t in bad shape. Previously occupied by a spa, they still have all the old spa equipment ready to be re-used. Some new paint here, a new fixture there and the building was ready to go.
Baroud also has plans to give the barbershop a feel of old New York.
“We’re trying to get a little bit of image, a little bit of style,” Baroud said. “New York barbershop would be like older pictures, the theme of the outside, we’re going to renovate a little bit… Spice things up.” He said. This Sunday, they will host a fundraiser for Mark Yakabuski, a local resident recovering from a spinal injury. All proceeds raised will go to the Yakabuski family.
The address is actually 1549 Stittsville Main Street.