WITH the grooming rituals of the metrosexual having gone mainstream, “manpering” makes a bid for the attention of the urban male.
“Typically, pampering is synonymous to the spa/salon experience primarily enjoyed by women. But we feel that the young modern urban man also deserves to spoil himself, given the stresses he goes through day in and out,” said Chad Africa, sales and marketing manager, and business partner for The Urban Barber, a new player in the barbershop landscape.
The Urban Barber customized a “complete manpering (man+pampering) experience” suited for the modern urbanite by offering precisely cut and perfectly styled haircuts (A Cut-Above, P350, or Bro Buzz services, P300), a list of complementary services like shave (Baby Butt Smooth, P400), beard sculpting (Touch My BEARDy, P400), basic color (Back-to-Black/Brown, P1,000 to P1,400) and facial cleansing treatments (BroTox Facial, P650);
The manpering experience is complemented by an after-cut rinse, a facial and upper body massage and a free cup of coffee or a bottle of beer to cap it off. These are perks inclusive in every service offered by The Urban Barber, which is located at the second floor of CKB Center, Tomas Morato corner Scout Rallos in Quezon City.
“Given the busy lifestyle of our market, the end-to-end services provided by The Urban Barber allows them to walk into our shop, get the manpering they need, walk out and proceed to the next thing on their agenda, whether it be a date, a meeting, a night out with friends or time with the family,” Africa offers.
Africa’s business partner is Darrel So, who is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the store. They met in culinary school, and what started as a plan to put up a business in the food industry evolved to what now is called The Urban Barber. In addition to their mutual interest in men’s proper grooming and belief that if a guy looks good, he feels good, it was the opportunity to introduce a new barbershop concept, and to cater to an unserved market that drove them to open The Urban Barber.
“We feel that a lot of the established and newly opened barbershops out there cater to a more mature market, or they seem to promote a very formal lifestyle that not everyone may aspire for. We understand that young urbanites are uncomplicated and unpretentious, and they appreciate the value of being true to who they are. The Urban Barber celebrates this. We offer a welcoming environment where you can just be yourself, and get the complete manpering experience every young urbanite deserves,” Africa explains.
There are three things that differentiate their barbershop from their competition, according to Africa. First, the design and vibe of The Urban Barber. Inspired by modern industrial urban design, the space is reminiscent of loft apartments you’ll see in the posh meatpacking district of New York City, or in hipster-central Williamsburg in Brooklyn.
The use of metal, concrete, wood and repurposed furniture adds to the appeal, while the cool graffiti murals by local artists Gori and Hilo Bautista accentuate the store with bursts of bright colors. The music has also been carefully curated to reflect the dynamic lifestyle of today’s young urbanites.
Second is the selection of retail products.“We’re proud to offer a retail collection curated from our favorite local clothing, accessory and men’s grooming brands. These are superior products we handpicked so our clients can look and feel good,” Africa said.
The products include The Urban Warrior line of shampoos and conditioners, and hair waxes which they formulated themselves. The Urban Barber also carries Huevo Handcrafted Leather, The Tokwa co. Shirts, Proppy Socks, Paragon Manila bracelets, Satchi (makers of Motorino Vinyl Players, The Eighth Watches and Zen Bamboo Speakers), all of these set in a “super cool” environment that reflects the exciting vibe of the urban culture.
Their third edge is their commitment to provide exceptional service and the best customer experience. “Our barbers consistently give precise and perfectly styled haircuts given their extensive local and international experience. They are dedicated to their craft, with a shared passion for quality and creativity. Our commitment is to provide exceptional personalized service, thus elevating the barbershop experience of our market,” Africa said.
With The Urban Barber’s successful foray in the Quezon City area, future shops are in the offing.
“We try to anticipate what our clients need. Given the dynamic lifestyle of the market we’re trying to serve, we’re certain to introduce new services and products at The Urban Barber in the coming months,” Africa said. “With the reception being very good in Quezon City, we would like to take this success to other areas in the metro. There’s certainly an underserved market in the south and central Manila, and the appreciation for the type of services we provide is growing.”
- The Urban Barber encourages clients to book their appointments by texting 0917-8239975 or 0908-8629857.