Issue link: https://www.ahpindiestylist.com/i/1540979
58 AHP Indie Stylist Volume 6 Issue 2 In other words, add- ons weren't optional, they were a form of survival. If you came in for a trim, you might leave with a few ounces less blood or minus a rotten tooth. Barbers were the side hustlers of their day, and the add-on culture has been woven into our history ever since. Of course, there was a darker side too. Anyone who has read the story of Sweeney Todd: e Demon Barber of Fleet Street knows the folklore of the barber who dispatched clients for meat pies. ankfully, today's add-ons are less deadly and a lot more appealing. Instead of heading to the pie shop, you're more likely to be offered a hot towel shave or a rejuvenating scalp treatment. But it's a fun reminder that barbers have always been known for doing more than just cutting hair. Fast-forward a few centuries, and here we are again. e bloodletting may be gone, but the principle is the same: Barbershops have always thrived by offering more. Today, it's not about pulling teeth; it's about pulling in clients with services that keep them coming back. THE EVOLUTION OF THE MODERN BARBERSHOP When I started Pall Mall Barbers, my vision was to blend tradition with innovation. I didn't want to run just another haircut shop. I wanted to honor the heritage of barbering while raising the standard for the modern client. e truth is, today's clients expect more. Over the past decade, barbering has gone through a cultural shi. Clients are more conscious of their image, more open to treatments, and more willing to invest in themselves. ey may never step foot in a spa, but they'll happily accept a "skin refresh" or scalp mask while sitting in the barber chair. at's why add-ons are so powerful. ey bridge the gap between tradition and modern self-care. ey're the barber's way of saying, "is isn't just a haircut, it's an experience." The haircut gets them through the door. The add-ons make them remember why they chose us. GETTY IMAGES