Vintage Barbershop (Submitted)
Uptown Saint John is home to another location where one can kick back, relax, and enjoy a close shave at Vintage Barbers, which had its grand opening January 31, at 139 Union Street.
Owner Jeremy Robinson’s background was originally in the furniture industry. He built custom fine furniture and worked for non-profits and social enterprises such as Outflow Ministries to train and help people develop new skills.
“The opportunity arose to open the shop – my wife and I have always run a business and started a furniture business, but never owned our own,” says Robinson. “Our dream was to eventually be business owners ourselves.”
He had grown up clipping and designing his friends’ hair, and had actually enrolled at the Eastern College for barbering, but chose to follow an opportunity at Outflow Ministries.
Vintage Barbershop client enjoying a cut (Image: submitted)
Robinson was incarcerated a decade ago and since then he has been dedicated to helping others not make the mistakes he did and provide them with resources to move forward.
“This is one way, having a location like this, and also the resources that a business owner does have, that we are able to reach out,” he said. “Ten years ago, there wasn’t as many offerings or resources to people to get back on their feet – to me, it’s important to give people a chance.”
During last year’s red phase, Robinson and his wife decided to make a career change and completed the eight-month barbering program. While January’s lockdown prevented them from opening their doors at the beginning of the year, it enabled them to make further renovations to the space.
The three-chair barbershop offers shaves, haircuts, shampoos, and traditional barbering services such as fades and straight razor and hot towel shaves. Vintage Barbershop also carries Reuzel products and local company Signature Beard Oils products, with more inventory to come.
“As a business owner, we’re going to more easily be able to reach people and help people in the ways that we’re looking at doing so,” explained Robinson. He added they are looking for volunteer barbers to put together a team to do free cuts for people in need and are planning more outreach programs.
