A cut above
When you walk into Vestavia’s newest barbershop, you won’t find high-tech scheduling software or cookie-cutter furnishings.
What you will find is a 13-foot couch, a full pot of coffee and the scent of popcorn wafting through the air.
The Vintage Barber Shop officially opened its doors Feb. 6, and owner Brian Maxcy and barbers Angie Hancock, Philip Anderson, Jeff Templin and Jasmine Waldrop are hoping it will become a community gathering space as well as a haircut destination.
Located in the City Hall shopping center, The Vintage Barber Shop offers men’s haircuts for toddlers through seniors.
“We’re here from their first haircut to their last,” Hancock said.
It’s not only about the haircuts, however.
Maxcy and all four barbers said they want their customers to see coming to the barbershop as more than a simple transaction.
“I think the atmosphere we’re trying to create is relaxed, rather than instant gratification like you get so much these days,” Maxcy said.
Hancock said the group hopes to see the community use the shop as a place to get to know their neighbors, whether that is through a haircut or by just stopping by for a cup of coffee or bag of popcorn.
“We wanted to take it back to the old days, when you came to the barbershop and you would maybe just come and have a cup of coffee and tell stories. You didn’t necessarily get your hair cut that day,” Hancock said. “It was a place to gather, a community to build relationships.”
From the vintage-style barber chairs and reclaimed wood to antique photographs of barbershops around Alabama, Hancock said even the décor was chosen to encourage guests to take a step back in time, with a modern twist.
Hancock and Waldrop said it was also important to make sure that the space was kid-friendly, and made sure to include things such as a chalkboard and play area.
While not entirely focused on the youngest clients, Vestavia actually has a boy’s haircut to thank for the shop’s opening.
The idea for The Vintage Barber Shop came when Maxcy tried to take his son for a haircut the day before last Thanksgiving, but Hancock, who he said has cut his and his son’s hair for years, was busy all day. After searching online for other local barbershops and finding none to his liking, Maxcy said he got an idea and asked Hancock for her number.
When he called, Maxcy said Hancock knew why.
“She said, ‘I think you want to open a barbershop,’” Maxcy said.
Anderson joined the two for a sit-down, and after a bit of conversation, the idea emerged.
“I think God put us in each others’ paths to come together, and The Vintage Barber Shop was born,” Maxcy said.
Hancock and Anderson have over 27 years of combined experience as barbers, as well as a Vestavia Hills-based client network that they said they hope will continue to grow at the new shop.
“We build relationships with our customers, they become more family to us,” Hancock said.
The shop is planning to have an official grand opening celebration this month, and Hancock said they have already seen both regulars and new clients alike get excited about the new space.
“We have gotten the most amazing support from the community. It has been an extremely humbling and gratifying experience,” she said.
The Vintage Barber Shop is located at 1080 Montgomery Highway. While the shop does not take appointments, it is open Tuesday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and on Mondays and Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
To stay up to date with the shop, visit their Facebook page at facebook.com/thevintagebarbershopvestavia.