Bsharp Barbershop: a cut above the rest

Bsharp Barbershop is dedicated to delivering a “premium service” in the comfort of your local barbershop. It’s a place where you can “come in, grab yourself a beer and have a chat”. Owner Andrew Kourtis opened the shop in February last year, hoping to bring a fresh offering to the iconic Lygon Street strip.

“I never really liked working for other people,” Andrew said.

From when I was young, I knew I wanted to work for myself, but I didn’t know what. When I found my trade, I knew this was it and I eventually wanted to open up a shop of my own.

With seven years of barbering experience under his belt, Andrew has received an overwhelmingly positive response from the community since launching Bsharp Barbershop.

“We’re growing and creating a bit of a community around the shop, which is really nice,” he said.

“I enjoy even just walking to Woolies to grab some lunch, seeing people and just saying hello, and catching up with people day to day. Quite a few businesses will even nick out on their lunch breaks to get their hair cut,” Andrew said.

“That sense of community has gone in a lot of places, but I feel like it’s really still going around here, and people look out for you. It’s a nice feeling.”

Bsharp Barbershop provides a “salon experience” within the “relaxed environment” of a traditional barbershop, specialising in modern styles and services like hair washing.

What sets the shop apart is its commitment to being a “middle ground” between barbers and salons.

“I’ve worked in a mix of different places, some more salon-focused and others a lot more relaxed,” Andrew told Inner City News. 

“I want people to feel like they can come in 15 minutes early and grab themselves a beer and just hang out, but still get all the other things you associate with a salon.”

Andrew also works alongside his small team of dedicated barbers, Lewis Fraser and Lachlan Cho. 

He says that the best part of the job is undoubtedly the connections they build with clients.

“On certain days, you know the same people are going to be in, and you’re just catching up. You cut their hair and give them a good service, but at the end of day you’re really just creating a relationship and catching up with people,” he said.

“Being able to talk to lots of people that you might not actually talk to in other areas of your life, people from completely different backgrounds or with completely different interests. You can chat to them and learn about their view of the world - it’s just awesome.” •