So whats been going lately

   Well it is January that time of year where no matter what shop or salon you are working in it is slow. That is life everyone is broke, paying off Christmas and waiting for tax season to get here.That is just the nature of the beast this time of year. So now it is all about trying to offer your customers to come in and spend that extra couple of bucks in your shops.

   Pomades are on the rise but recently I was contacted by Ivan Zoot (Clipperguy) and asked if I would review it here. If you are unfamiliar with ZOOT! Products check it out and more inportantly make sure you get to know Ivan Zoot. So look for the review of ZOOT! pomade next week.

   Everyone who knows me locally knows I support local business whether it is a local print shop, bar...etc. Last night a video short popped up on YouTube featuring Evan Boling owner of Boling's Barbershop in Downtown Visailia.

    So if you are like me you are a fan of social media and I am not just talking about Facebook, Twitter...etc. One of my favorite sites is Bangstyle. This is a cool site because it is a
 fashion culture site. It allows stylist to post there work, follow stylist and read some articles connected to fashion, music and more. If you have never seen it before check it out!

   This weekend is the ISSE show in Long Beach and unfortunately I am not going to make it out this year. IF you read my blog I would love to get any reports from the show (products, educations and more).

   I will leave it at that for now. Product reviews are coming this next week and if there is anything you would like to see covered this year please let me know.

Cheers
Frankie

   
  

The Shop Is A Social Kind Of Place

   So if you missed out on our MOVEMBER kick-off event that I put together at GoldStar Barbershop come on out and join us for "Cuts,Shave & Rock n' Roll". I figured since MOVEMBER went so well that it was time to try another event. So I got a hold of a local dj, local brewery and got the ball rolling.

   On Sat. February 23rd GoldStar Barbershop will re-open at 8 pm-11 pm. I am excited because even though Victor and myself will be cutting hair, doing some shaves and enjoying and evening of rock n' roll it is an opportunity create a social environment within the barbershop.

   One of the things I have always beleived and liked about what we do is that barber culture is a very social culture. From how we interact with customers, the public and each other as barbers. I think the younger generation of barbers have taken the social element of barbering to the next level.

   Hawleywoods's with there back room, Suavecito partnering with local barbers at a local Riverside bar or BOLT barber having late evening happy hour at the WeHo location. These are ways for us to make a couple of bucks beyond the regular day to day work but also just get together for a hell of a good time!

    To all the shops that are doing things to open there doors to people who may not normally come in and just creating a social environment to there shops...Keep it up, cause I am always looking for a new place to have a beer!

Cheers!
Frankie

6 Years Down: My Life As A Barber So Far

Me and Greg at Porters 2007

    So here it is the first  post of the year and it has been a week of reflection because in September I have been a licensed barber for 6 years. So I am going to share my story so far.

    The wife had been done with school for a few months by February of 2006 and it was at this point I decided to go to barber school in Spokane,WA. At this point I had been working at Hot Topic, as a dish washer and a line cook.

    Spokane had one barber school in to go to and so Beth and I decided that if they had financial aid I could apply for school and so I did. The school had a barber program and a cosmetology but unfortunately I spent more time cutting womens hair then I did mens haircuts. I had a rough patch because of some family stuff. Oh yeah did I mention that the entire time I was in school I worked at HT and in a restaurant the entire time. I worked my butt off and finished school two weeks early oh yeah and I passed state board on the first try!

AZC Haircuts-2007

    As soon as I passed first thing I did was quit one of my jobs. Telling Chef Brian I was leaving was actually tough because I have a lot of love and respect for him because he gave me a chance on the line I probably would never of had anywhere else. I stayed at Hot Topic as I was trying to find me a job in a barbershop.

    First shop I worked at was called Dan's Barbershop but unfortunately I was not there for very long because they felt I was not very fast and my skills were not where they wanted. Second shop was called Weldon Barber. It is kind of a higher end barbershop owned by a family member of the Nordstrom. Here is the finny thing about this place the owner himself had me let go because I was a man with tattooed (at this time there were no other men working for them).

    Well I was not in a shop when 2007 rolled around, still working at HT but cutting hair out of my house as often as I could until I was approached by an acquaintance who was opening a brand new barbershop. He had been an educator for American Crew at one point so I was going to rent a chair and hoped that this was going to be my chance to start developing my skills....Finally.

Hillyard Hootenany 2008

   At this point I prematurely quit HT and within two months I was unemployed because a customer had come back to the shop because they were not happy with the haircut and the owner re-cut this persons hair. At this point I am told that "I had heart but not enough experience yet" he also said "It was his name and reputation on the shop".

    Where do I go from here? What point do I just give up? In 2007 the family decided to return to California so I had to spend the rest of the year working my tail off to prepare to move back to the Golden State. I did go back to Spokane twice in the last 5 years since we have been back in California due to lack of work and our hope to return to Washington. But back in Spokane on each trip I found a way cut hair. Due to difference in state regulations and time it took me almost a year to get my California barber license.

More grease rags coming soon!

    After getting my license in California I did what I needed to do to get take care of my family, but was fortunate to get involved with my friend Luis who owns Covenant Barbershop where he could let me fill a chair once in a while, partnered with them for the Fresno Tattoo Expo and just help out at times.

    In September of 2011 I started seeing a classified show up on Craigslist and I jumped on it...I had been back from Washington since June (in time for my daughters high school graduation) and did not have anything left to loose. I interviewed and was offered a job which started when the shop opened in November of 2011. I am proud to say I have been standing behind a chair at GoldStar Barbershop since we opened in November of 2011.

Devoted Barber 2013

   The road to get here has been a rough one. I have had many people ask me why I have not given up and it really comes down to one thing....I have found a trade that I take pride in. I love what I do. I have had friends and family continue to encourage me. Am I where I want to be? NO!! Will I get there? YEAH!!!

   I have days where I feel like I still cut like I just got out of barber school. and sometimes maybe I do. I think most people at this point probably would have called it quits but I couldn't and I do not plan on it.

    Do not ask me what is to come in the next 6 years. Heck I do not know what is going to happen in the week. I am going to just continue to stand behind a chair and work hard!

   There are so many people I wish I could thank...family, friends other barbers who have all continued to encourage me. Thanks.

   As we go into 2013 I wish all you young barbers, new barber students and everyone who makes behind the chair there home away from home....Have a great and successful year!!

SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL BARBER!!!