New business opens on High Street

Local mothers team up to launch barber shop

A lot of men will drive out of town to get a haircut. They want a certain atmosphere that a men’s hair and barber shop has, said Laura Johnson, one of the three owners of a new men’s haircutting business in Waynesburg.

Johnson, along with the other owners, Lydia Hobbs and Heather Jeffries, decided they wanted to bring that atmosphere to Waynesburg with High Street’s newest shop, Mankind Gentlemen’s Cuts.

Johnson said all three of the women had worked in full-service salons before, but now they were interested in having their own business.

“We have children and sometimes it’s hard working for someone else when you have children, with scheduling and things like that,” Johnson said. “It’s always been a dream of all of ours to have our own shop.”

Johnson, Jeffries and Hobbs, who have a combined 24 years of salon experience among them, have been planning the business since last August.

She said they decided to open a men’s haircut place not only because there are few in the vicinity, but also because it offers a good start-up opportunity without the cost of products needed to open a full-service salon.

“We get to just do our thing, cut [hair] and enjoy being here without as much stress as a full-service salon, but still bring that unique atmosphere to Waynesburg,” Johnson said.

In November, the new owners rented the retail space at 11 E. High St. They decided on the location because it was right across from the courthouse—a frequent stop for businessmen, they figure—right next to Mickey’s Men’s Store and within walking distance of Waynesburg University. The ladies hope this will attract college students, businessmen and the coal, gas and oil workers in the county. Another reason for the location is its central proximity to Morgantown and Pittsburgh, Hobbs said.

Since the location used to be Four Horsemen Comics and Gaming, Hobbs, Johnson and Jeffries decided to update the inside of the shop. Some of the remodeling choices they made include new floors, fresh paint, new lighting and themed furniture.

“We have an industrial and whiskey theme. So, we have whiskey barrels as part of our furniture. It a pretty good eye-catcher,” Hobbs said. “We did a lot of things we found on Pinterest and just gathered our ideas together.”

The shop will use products from the brand, Manmade 18.21, and have a similar “rustic whiskey” theme.

Tentatively, Johnson said they will open for business Tuesday, Feb. 26. A few more inspections must be completed before then, but Johnson and Hobbs said they do not anticipate any problems. Their official Grand Opening and the ribbon cutting with the Chamber of Commerce will be after that, March 13.