Looking for something unique this Christmas shopping season? Check out the gift shop at Louisville's only Scandinavian bakery.
Evan Watson had stability and a decent sense of job security as a barber at a popular barbershop in the Highlands.
But he was antsy and had a vision.
He loves the blue-collar trade of barbering, the conversations with clients, and the trust people put in him.
Watson knew he wanted something different than what he found at his old shop. With a twinge of encouragement from his wife, and the support of his colleague, Watson opened The Lantern Barber Co. at 1916 Bardstown Road on Nov. 11.
"The inception of the idea is probably a year old, but there was no action taken for the longest time," Watson told the Courier Journal. "And only mid-summer really did I start to tell myself that this was something that I was prepared to do, emotionally and financially and everything else that goes into opening a small business."
While Watson journeys into independent barbershop ownership, his longtime colleague, Joey Hodson, took a chance and joined him as the second barber at The Lantern Barber Co.
"We'd established a trust and a similar work ethic early on of what we were looking for ... once we started talking a little bit more about it, it just sounded like the right choice, and I could trust his vision," Hodson said.
Finding what is now the home of the barbershop was a chance encounter. While out for a run with his brother, Watson stumbled upon a "For rent" sign outside a small Bardstown Road building.
"This just seemed like the perfect square footage, and I knew that I could fit four chairs, and I wanted it to be a smaller, more intimate place where it didn't feel sterile, where it felt cozy, and it felt just as nice to sit and hang out in as it would be to get a haircut," Watson said.
Bringing old world charm to Louisville barbering
Watson opened his barbershop following a very specific vision.
"Barbering is pretty saturated. I mean, there's however many up and down Bardstown Road," said Watson.
His vision draws on the intimate, dimly lit, old world charm often associated with a speakeasy.
With an eye for detail, Watson spent roughly $100,000 to fully remodel the roughly 650 square foot barbershop to create a sense of intimacy and charm, curate a selection of valuable antiques that take clients back in time, and add essentials such as plumbing and electrical work.
Watson said part of what drew him to a more intimate space for his barbershop was wanting to break from the loud music, fast paced, rockabilly and punk rock vibe associated with many barbershops in the area and not only provide himself and Hodson with a slower paced shop, but provide clients with a cozier sense of community.
"It was my need, really, to just slow everything down from 10 to seven, where we could do the work that we wanted to do, in the way that we wanted to do it, in an environment that felt like we weren't being pushed to get to that next guy," Watson said.
Hodson agrees. "The sense of community we want to bring here is a little more cozy, a little more intimate, where we have the time and the ability to make the shop itself more of a conversation piece, ... it gives us the time and freedom to establish a more personal relationship with our customers."
What is The Lantern Barber Co. experience?
Within one week of opening, both Watson and Hodson have seen a steady flow of clients in and out of their barber chairs. With business off to a strong start, Watson is considering hiring a third barber to join the duo.
Part of what has helped generate early success besides the ambiance of the barbershop is the client experience.
Watson said clients spend anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes in the chairs for their cuts and the shop offers a steamed hot towel in bergamot oil for clients.
Hodson said one of the offerings he and Watson focus on is the ability to create relationships with clients, noting that many have become friends over the years.
"We enjoy having those conversations, and enjoy the fact that people trust us with parts of their body and their emotions and the things they want to say, and they can feel comfortable saying it to us," Hodson said.
The Lantern Barber Co. is an appointment only operation, with clients able to book online up to three weeks in advance. Watson said cuts range from $20 to $70 depending on if it's just a cut, a face shave, beard trim, classic cleanup, full haircut and full-face shape. The shop is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
"You're paying for the cut sure, but really, when you strip it down, you're paying for the time, so I want to make sure that's at the forefront of my services," Watson said.