A former Nailsea schoolboy who started sweeping hair at his father’s barber as a teenager has opened his own shop in the town.
Charlie Cowan, 20, began his career as a men’s hairdresser working for the past six years with his father Gary, owner of The Barbershop in Clevedon.
Charlie started as a 14-year-old boy on Saturday, sweeping haircuts, progressing to senior stylist.
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After years of working alongside his father, he has now decided to branch out and start his own business.
Family and friends have been working around the clock to get the salon – in the former RSPCA charity shop in Nailsea High Street – ready to open.
Charlie is a fifth generation in his family to be in the hairdressing business and his roots go back to his great-great-grandfather Edwin who worked as a barber in London in the late 1880s.
Charlie Cowan’s great-great-grandfather was a barber (Image: Nailsea People)
Edwin’s marriage certificate, pictured, from 1904 listed his profession as “master barber”.
Even uncles and aunts followed in the trade as well as his brother Tom, 18, who started training.
Only mum Tracy Robbins has chosen a different career and works as an NHS mental health care assistant.
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Charlie said: “I’ve been a barber for many years in Clevedon and have a very established clientele, and wanted to bring it to the town where I grew up.”
Charlie Cowan and his new salon Nailsea No 85 on the high street. (Image: James Beck/SomersetLive)
Charlie, who lives in Silver Street, said his new base was ideal as it is in the center of Nailsea, close to free parking.
In addition to the hair salon, Charlie also plans to open a massage therapy and tanning room at the back of the store.
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The company’s massage therapy arm will offer a range of treatments from Thai massage to sports massage and is expected to open in late March.
When Charlie is operational, Nailsea will have five hair salons and at least eight unisex hairdressers for a population of around 17,000.
Charlie Cowan and his new salon Nailsea No 85 on the high street. (Image: James Beck/SomersetLive)
Number 85’s hair salon caters to all ages and although Charlie enjoys styling young people’s hair, he enjoys doing the ‘old boys’ who still have a story to tell.
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He said: “Young people are bright, very happy and vibrant, but I also like people who have a story and people who tell me about their day.”
The store opened on February 22 and Charlie says business has been good.
No 85 Barbershop in Nailsea (Image: James Beck/SomersetLive)
“It’s been very busy, just one stop away,” he said.
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Charlie is looking to recruit barbers and massage therapists to his team.
To find out more about available jobs, call Charlie on 07825 779423.
To book an appointment, visit https://85barbershopnailsea.nearcut.com.
Read the latest stories from Somerset here.
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Source: www.somersetlive.co.uk
This notice was published: 2022-03-09 00:00:00
