Independent Birmingham Barbershop Celebrates New Store Opening with Team Expansion
An independent Birmingham city centre barbershop is celebrating after moving into a new, larger space and expanding its team.
The team at Shepherds, led by husband-and-wife David Sturgeon and Valeria Berrazueta, have moved into units at the New Street end of Piccadilly Arcade following an extensive refurbishment, building on pre-pandemic success and a strong start since reopening this year.
Despite changing location by only a few yards - the shop’s previous location was further down Piccadilly Arcade - the move represents the start of a new era for the Shepherds team.
Valeria, Director, said: “We are so delighted to open in our new home - we couldn’t be happier with how the shop looks and already our team are enjoying the benefits of having such a fantastic space to work in.
“The success of our first salon confirmed our knowledge that Birmingham men want classic, quality hairdressing, combined with traditional skills and experiences such as wet shaves and beard maintenance.
“These services and experiences remain at the heart of our offer, but we will be building on our popular hair and grooming product range, bringing handpicked products with an excellent reputation from brands such as Sacha Juan and Dr Harris & Co, as well as focusing on creating a really unique, sophisticated and relaxing atmosphere that our clients can enjoy.”
As well as moving into a new premises, Shepherds has welcomed four new members of staff to its ranks: Senior Stylist Oscar Yum, Store Manager Mehr Ali, Operations Manager Paola Ruiz and Shop Assistant Veronica Berrazueta. .
The exciting new era for Shepherds comes after a difficult 2020 for the barbering industry - with social distancing, furlough and consistently evolving Government guidance impacting every aspect of the barber shop experience.
Salon Director, David, said: “Our success comes from taking a customer-first approach. This means not compromising in any way. It’s also about working with the right brands and partners, getting the right team and making sure you don’t cut corners.
“As an independent business owner in a really competitive industry, 2020 was a difficult year but to have turned that experience into something so positive is proof that we are here for the long haul.
“As someone who has spent years cutting men's hair and seeing the positive impact this had on their wellbeing and self-esteem, it was also clear to me that the impact of last year had an effect wider than the world of business.
“It has been great to see over recent weeks that more and more people are coming to us to get that sharp, stylish look ready for a return to office life. The city is getting back to how it was pre-Pandemic.
“We love Birmingham and can’t wait to welcome more people from this wonderful, diverse and beautiful city through our doors.”