Today we’d like to introduce you to Fred.
Hi Fred, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I started cutting hair at the age of 14 in my high school military program in San Diego, California. In that program, we were required to have military haircuts (short on top and shaved on the sides). I started cutting some of my buddies’ hair and then some of their friends. Before I knew it, I was cutting the hair of strangers for free. I have always been pretty artistic, and I find that I can express myself artistically through being a barber. At the age of 15, I moved to Virginia which was not the best news for a teenager with a loyal group of friends. When I moved to Virginia, I continued to cut hair. I have a large number of cousins plus I had my two younger brothers, so they were all my guinea pigs in my experiments of cutting hair. I was not good by any means, but I was available and willing. I became a professional barber at the age of 23. It was fun, and I fell in love with the art of barbering. I love to be a part of people’s important events in life, such as graduations, weddings, job interviews, and special dates. That passion that I had back in those days has grown a lot and has motivated my wife and I to open Fred’s Barbershop. To this day, I still have the same passion for cutting hair, and we will continue to make sure that we are the best barbershop in our area for years to come.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
At the point of opening Fred’s Barbershop I had 10 years of experience and wanted to provide a space for barbers to be free to express themselves through haircuts. I wanted the barbers that worked with us to receive fair pay and grow within the industry which are things that are not offered in a lot of shops. I have had good bosses and bosses that needed some training. But I have learned from my experiences and I have tried to combine all my knowledge to give my barbers the best place for them to work. It has been a learning experience, and I am looking forward to any other knowledge that I have to learn. I am ready to carry my team into the next level of what Fred’s Barbershop is supposed to be. I pride myself and everything I have accomplished because of where I came from. I was raised by a single mother with two younger siblings. Nothing was handed to me. Everything came from hard work and dedication. I did come across speed bumps, and obstacles, but if you push through it, you will reach your dream. I give thanks to God, my wife, my brothers, and my mom who showed me how to fight those obstacles in life. I also want to think my brothers, and Estela Cousins for being my first clients on this barbering journey. It has been a bumpy ride to get here but we are on the right path. I feel that everybody’s path in life has some struggles, but we gain strength from them.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am the Owner of Fred’s Barbershop, and I am also a barber at my shop. I have been cutting hair for a total of 13 years, and I have become well known in our small town. I am known for my blurry fades and sharp lines, I really love using a hot towel on their beards and giving my clients the smoothest shave they ever had. I am the barber that will always say yes when you are in a pinch and need a good haircut. Another thing that I love to do is designs, I have done so many and I wish I would have taken pictures and videos of every design I have done, but I did save some good ones. I have done graffiti, crowns, some cartoon characters and a lot of initials the list goes on. I will say what makes me most proud is having a whole town that knows that they can come to our shop and get taken care of. We provide the best service in our town, we push for consistency with our timing and our quality. If anyone is having a bad day, a quick haircut will lift you back up, along with a good conversation. I am proud to say that we are the best barbershop in Harrisonburg, and we will only get better
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
I think that barbering is going back to its roots with a lot of the old-school stuff coming back. From a classic hot towel, shave to hair designs, and now offering facials and massages barbers are now starting to offer more than just cutting hair, which is something I really like. I like that we are finding new ways to give our customers a great experience. A quick history lesson back in the 1400-1600 barbers used to do more than cutting hair. They were performing small dental procedures, during war the same person that cut your hair was stitching you up if you had an injury and care for you medically. Although we are not performing small surgeries, we are offering other things that are outside our traditional job description. I see barbers being a one stop shop for anything that involves self-care and relaxation. Fred’s Barbershop looks forward to these changes and upgrades in services to give customers the best experience anybody can receive in a barbershop.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.fredthebarber.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/FREDSBARBERSHOP540
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fredsbarbershop540
