One year ago, the very first The Streets Barbershop opened in Geelong West, providing dope fades by The Streets Barber himself, top-notch coffee and seriously good humans.
Renowned in Melbourne and Geelong, The Streets Barber, AKA Nasir Sobhani, gained popularity for his selfless dedication to cutting hair for the homeless. The Streets Barber did a complete one-eighty on his life and went from battling severe drug addictions to becoming a passionate barber, and has since been using his talent to help others turn their life around by spending his days off on the streets cutting hair, with the hope of a #CleanCutCleanStart.
The Streets Barber, with a following of almost 90k on Instagram, settled in Geelong, where he’s been continuing his work and service for the past year since opening the barbershop in May 2019.
If you haven’t had the pleasure of visiting the barbershop just yet, the trendy barbershop echoes Rastafari vibes, with a banner of Bob Marley hanging on the wall. Upon entrance, you’re greeted with a sleek coffee bar, and the grey walls match with the indoor greenery to create an industrial feel.
While the fly design, delicious caffeine from an award-winning barista, and the chill genuine staff has definitely contributed to their success, it’s their ethos that distinguishes The Streets Barbershop from the rest; the idea that profits don’t come from dollars – it comes from the creation of a community that cares for each other.
Throwing it back to the good old days when barbershops were a community hub, the shop opened with the main purpose being to help people find solace in the shared experience of their daily lives, supporting each other through the good times and the bad.
They don’t just want to cut your hair, they want to make sure every client is okay, feels good, looks good and knows they’ve got a friend in one of their barbers. It’s about taking that 45 minutes or so, not just to perfect a skin-fade, but to establish genuine connections and bring people happiness.
Their mission from the very start was to be a hub of social action, as well as Geelong’s most poppin’ barbershop, and now 12 months later, we can safely say that they have achieved just that.
“It’s been a little over a year now, as many people say if you’ve lasted the 1st year it’s a success,” The Streets Barber tell us.
“We definitely feel it has been a success not only because we’ve lasted the first year, but also because several of the things we were able to achieve in regards to creating a social hub, a training hub, and an accepting hub for everyone is slowly becoming alive.”
With the strong belief that you can perform work in the spirit of service from the beginning, the last year has also seen The Streets Barber open the door for youth to experience barbering. The idea was that if it’s something they find a passion in, it could steer them in a potentially life-saving direction, as it did for Nas.
“We’ve had a few people come through and learn the craft. One of the barbers have come from little to no skill to now being one of the leading barbers in Geelong,” he reveals.
“We also have been able to establish a space where people can come find comfort and acceptance in the barbershop which has kind of have created a little community within our Geelong community.
“For us, these are all measures of success and we are really grateful to have that opportunity.”
Looking ahead, the barbershop have no plans of slowing down, and will continue to grow this thriving hub of social action.
“We started off with one barber and one barista, and now we have three barbers and two baristas,” they explain.
“We have also have now created a fourth station. Originally there was never meant to be a fourth station as there was only three chairs so seems like the pace is definitely steady.”
Check out the stylish store, get a trim, grab a coffee, and get to know Nas and the guys. You never know how they might inspire you!
The Streets Barbershop is located at shop 3/112 Pakington Street, Geelong West. Appointments can be made www.thestreetsbarbershop.com or head to Instagram to follow and support the movement @thestreetsbarbershop
