Blow-drying a finished haircut at Birds.
Birds Barbershop opened its first store in 2006. Birds attracts the diverse, hip, young residents of music-loving Austin, Texas.
Michael Portman and Jayson Rapaport, the owners of Austin-based Birds Barbershop
Michael Portman and Jayson Rapaport had no previous experience in running hair salons. They chose barbershops to satisfy, what they saw, as an under-served Austin niche market.
The front of one of Birds' Austin locations.
Neither Portman nor Rapaport has been to barber school. As Rapaport puts it, "our job is to get butts in the seats."
The inside of one of the original Birds Barbershop stores.
The first store, which opened in 2006, is 1,300 sq. ft. and has a consciously hip, colorful, exuberant style.
A Birds stylist gives a curl.
The stylists are all employees of Birds Barbershop to encourage camaraderie and a commitment to Birds vision.
Unique, colorful art fills out the spaces.
The employees seem to like the commission-based system; Birds has a retention rate nearly four times the industry average.
Birds exterior shows its 7-day-a-week schedule, and a Walk-ins Welcome sign.
Unlike many higher-end shops Birds thrives on walk-ins.
While waiting, Birds customers play foosball and drink free beer.
Guests are treated to free beer and games as they wait.
A variety of items found on Craigslist, including an old Joust arcade game.
To give the shops a scuffed-up aesthetic, much of the furniture and the old arcade consoles were found secondhand, on Craigslist.
Pixellated, video-game inspired art by a local artist.
The music in the stores is an eclectic Austin-blend: old-school rap, local legend Willie Nelson, and indie upstarts Crystal Castles all share speaker time.
A man in a pink shirt sings into a microphone.
Cross-promotions with local music venues, like frequent free-ticket giveaways, help get the Birds name out to future customers.
People crowd in the stores for the frequent free events.
Birds hosts a number of events throughout the year, like the SXSW block party. In December, the fourth annual "ManFest" will take place.
A stylist gives one of Birds' mainstay, mid-priced cuts.
Solid mid-level pricing is cited as the key to Birds success.
Decoration by local artists distinguishes the Birds stores.
With more accessible pricing Birds' clientele varies more than a high-end salon.
A stylist colors a Birds' customers hair.
Some procedures, like coloring, take longer and require a reservation. Hair coloring costs $50 and up.
A woman preens in front of the mirror, admiring her new look.
Women's cuts are more expensive, and carry a higher profit margin.
Several customers lined up, receiving cuts.
Business has been great, driving expansion in Austin. Rapaport is even considering a move into nearby San Antonio, but admits he doesn't know the town as well and will need help finding the right location.
A singer in front of a Birds Barbershop banner.
Birds' embrace of the Austin music scene has helped build it into a thriving local business.
A Birds Barbershop branded foosball table.
Reservations are not required.
