We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Laleh Rezaie. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Laleh below.

Laleh, appreciate you joining us today. Do you take vacations? Why or why not?

I feel like vacation time is a necessity. It’s so important to step away from the business, even if for a day, to prevent burn-out. Look, I really enjoy what I do five days a week for income. I think I’m fortunate in that regard. Even then, now that the business is well established, I force myself to take at least one day every couple of weeks where I don’t even think about the shop or my clients. I think many of us have been fed this ideal work ethic (hustle culture, am I right?) and it can be detrimental to our physical and mental health. But that’s not sustainable for me. I have found a happy balance of work and play to keep myself happy.

Ever since I managed a corporately owned barber shop for a couple years to the point of burnout, I have promised myself to always make time for family, friends, and solitude. At the beginning, it was really hard to take any time off, especially with an appointment-based business. But I found out very quickly that my clients are so lovely and flexible with their appointments if it means that get that coveted rest and relaxation. Maybe I’m lucky, but I think they know as well as I do that my business only benefits when I am healthy and happy.

Laleh, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’m Laleh Rezaie and I own/operate South Barbershop – a two chair hidden space on S. Main St. in Fort Worth, Texas. I have been open for 4+ years and have really enjoyed watching my business grow and adapt. I studied cosmetology at Paul Mitchell and graduated salutatorian in 2015 and quickly moved to managing a barber shop that year. I cut my teeth and worked my ass off for 3 years at the shop until I hit an income and mental ceiling, deciding to part ways with no clear plan. South Barbershop was conceived over beers at a local brewery where I did pop-up barbering two times a week, in a dark, hot corner of the taproom behind a foosball table. It was a really challenging time but I credit my tenacity for making it through to the other side to a popular business in an exciting neighborhood.

I really love what my little (290sqft.) paint booth has become, especially in such a lovingly artistic and inclusive community. Partly by design and partly by serendipity, South Barbershop has become a known hub for gathering – from the random pop-ins from clients to the Third Thursday art crawls. I love that the most popular comment on the shop is how welcoming it feels to walk in the door. Everyone is a friend and I get to hang out with my friends to talk about anything and everything while they sip on a beer. Through my barbering services, I get to be a part of their wedding, their big interview, and their exciting first dates. We share family photos, restaurant recommendations, and relationship advice.

Starting a business, no matter how big, is a challenge, and there is no effective handbook on how to start. Without the near Southside community, the barber community, friends and family, and plenty of gumption, South Barbershop would not have happened. It’s been an exciting journey with a ridiculous learning curve, and I would do it all the same again.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Before I officially opened South Barbershop, I was posted up in HopFusion Ale Works 6 days each week. Four of those days were either beertending or canning and barbering on Thursdays and Sundays. The owners were extremely generous to let me stay there for almost 2 years while the building that the barber shop would reside was being renovated.

This was an established brewery, and, like most businesses, it was constantly changing and adjusting things in the taproom. The first year, I had to move a very heavy foosball table for enough space for my chair, toolbox and mirror setup. It was a corner of the taproom that was pretty dark and was not insulated enough to block the heat or the cold happening outside. Haircuts in July were not pleasant. A zero fade on a sweaty head being illuminated by one overhead light is nearly impossible. But I persisted. I was becoming known as the brewery barber. It was thrilling. People were tickled when they turned the corner to hit the head and they see a barber posted up in the corner.

I was hitting a rhythm between the brewery and the construction site for South Barbershop, which are within shouting distance. It was a passing nuisance then, when I was informed that my lil not-a-barber-shop corner was being converted into a second bar. I was being evicted. Luckily, they had a stage that was empty the same nights I cut hair. Another door opening and all that. So that’s how I took my show to the big stage and started cutting hair on a stage twice a week at a brewery, My celebrity – and clientele list – grew very quickly. And how convenient that I could point out the window to let them know where they could find me in a few months!

But none of it was easy. The first month on stage was the most challenging: I had to give the spotlight and center stage to the Christmas tree. Your television is probably bigger than my workspace at that point. Also, the legalities of what I was doing are gray at best. I’m a licensed barber performing free haircuts in the furthest corner of a taproom. The owners of the brewery were extremely gracious and creative and we made it work.

I think back on those 2 years often. I wasn’t making much money in tips and was depleting my savings quickly. I was perpetually tired between what felt like 3 jobs and I was terrified of what the future held for me. However, I have made some friends through that wild time that I know will be lifelong. And I learned a lot about how far I will go to push myself to a desired outcome. I wouldn’t change any part of South Barbershop’s origin story at all.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I think everyone that has had any services in South Barbershop has left feeling seen and satisfied that I have performed to the best of my abilities with care and attention. I feel like I’ve built a relationship with my clients and they trust me. When a client trusts the person performing a service, not only is loyalty built, but the foundation for a community is built. Barber shops have traditionally been communal spaces and creating that atmosphere is not an easy task in a less than 300 square foot shop. I host an artist-of-the-month gallery in the shop, and that attracts art lovers on the third Thursday of every month. I even have some regular visitors just for the art. In this, I have learned that it as important for me to continue to perform my services to the best of my abilities with attention and care as it is that the shop contributes to a culture and community.

Contact Info:

• Website: southbarbershopfw.com
• Instagram: @southbarbershopfw
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/southbarbershopfw

Image Credits
NATHANAEL GASSETT PHOTOGRAPHY (December 2022)