A breath of fresh air... (Big updates at the shop)
I thought it had been much more recently that I had written a blog post for The Barber Story, but when I logged back in to write this specific update, I found the most recent entry from back in March (when we were at the 1 year pandemic anniversary) was still labeled as “draft”. It was completely ready for publication, but I never hit the submit button. Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to present to you exhibit 1263b in the case of “State of Anxiety vs. Content Creator.” Rather than rehashing old news, I decided to just tell you a long story to fill in the gaps from the time since we last saw each other.
Today’s post is about the vaccinated elephant wearing a mask in the room. I would like to acknowledge the simple truth that it is outstandingly difficult to be responsible for pulling the trigger on any ultimate action when you know that taking action of any kind will alienate some of the population that supports your business on a regular basis. From the beginning, I have always wanted to make sure that The Barber Story has been an inviting and safe space for the barbers to bring the best out of their clients. Fortunately, our entire team have been on the same page with Covid, so making my decisions as a shop owner have been a lot easier when I know that the shop supports the decisions that are being made for everyone. Ultimately, we believe in the science behind the vaccine, and we are all fully vaccinated. With reports from Pfizer and Moderna showing effectiveness in protecting fully vaccinated individuals against the delta variants, we are comfortable with the reasonable amount of risk in taking masks off in the shop, and encourage others to join us.
We also appreciate that not all children and immune-compromised individuals are able to receive a vaccine at this time. There are also individuals who are waiting to receive their second dose, so if you find yourself more comfortable with your barber wearing a mask during your service, just ask and we will continue to accommodate until you’re comfort level changes.
Trusting in science is one thing, but taking action is another. Even though we’re taking off our masks, we still don’t feel like the world is quite back to normal. If anything, the Olympics are a great reminder that there are many nations that are nowhere close to being past the pandemic, so The Barber Story has spent the past few months investing into the space to build a barbershop better prepared for a post pandemic world. New stations have been installed to create a more individualized experience and offer additional spacing than the prior 6 ft minimum requirements. We have also recently replaced the 30+ year old HVAC unit, allowing fresh air to be cycled through our space more efficiently.
Now that the first elephant has been addressed, let’s continue with this parade with the elephant walking on alabaster eggshells. One of the other lessons this past year was related to business expenses in the Treasure Valley. Who wants to talk about displacement of locals? Inflation at unprecedented rates? A population boom in the fastest growing market in AMERICA? …Nobody? I thought for sure I was going to have at least three hands raised for that one.
I’m going to try to be objective on this topic, but there are realities to acknowledge. 15 months ago, we removed beard services off the menu. Even with a reduced menu, we maintained full schedules for the past 9 months, and we began using professional laundry services to make up 2 hours of administrative tasks a day that we could now dedicate back to clients. Now that we are getting back to a place that beards will be added back into the mix, we will be booked out even further in advance, and our laundry consumption will drastically increase with the addition of hot towels of shaves.
In an effort to keep our appointments available to both new and existing clients, stay competitive within the treasure valley, as well as secure our ability to maintain the momentum of living in the fastest growing city in America, the shop is adopting a simplified menu. Effective 9/1/2021, all services will be booked å la carte, and haircuts will no longer include a hot towel neck shave. Specialty haircuts (Razor fades, long trims, etc.) may have an additional charge if offered by the individual barber.
Haircut - 30+
Neck Shave - 5
Shampoo - 5
Beard Shaping - 20
Razor Line Up - 25
Hot Towel Shave - 35
This past year has been a challenge, for all of us, but I am thrilled that we can be on the opposite side of it, and I’m very excited to have you all back in the shop to see your smiling faces.
-Chris