We spoke with Matthew Conrad of Victory Barbers yesterday prior to and during a much needed haircut.
Victory Barbers and hard goods for Men is the latest addition to the Atrium on Blanshard – also housing Habit Coffee and Culture, Cook Culture, AJ Organic, Zambri’s and PIG BBQ – a welcome addition indeed.
Photo at left – Matthew Conrad (and Victory Barber mascot “Belle”) holds down the fort at Victory Barbers – Victoria
Sensing the need for a male enclave, Matthew has built this around his own vision but also based on encouragement and recruitment from the likes of Shane Devereaux of Habit Coffee and the ever benevolent Jawl Properties – the owners of the building.
Matthew notes, “Victoria is saturated with Salons – the ladies are well represented in Victoria…” “The classic barber seemed to be near extinction, but the demand has never disappeared…”
In some ways, the craft of male grooming was on the decline in Victoria – but for the staff of Victory, all was not lost. Each of Victory’s skilled scissor wizards (including two lovely ladies) had training from a master barber. And it shows. You feel like you are there – in a modern day wild west version of the classic masculine enclave.
For Matthew and his crew, this joint is all about honest to goodness male grooming without the stigma or labeling of “metrosexuality” – simply, Victory Barbers is a man’s World… inside the confines of the salon. Outside, you are on your own.
My salon barber, Kim, circles skillfully with razor sharp shears taking my reasonable sparse pate to a more civilized place – a better place – a manly place.
I leave the chair and the salon with a rugged Bruce Willis (slight more hair) look. No nonsense.
Matthew concludes, “You might not want a straight razor and hot towel shave every day… but you might love one once a month… a treat. Guys need to indulge themselves occasionally…”
And I agree wholeheartedly.
Victory Barbers is open 6 days a week for walk ins or with a reservation.