Today we’d like to introduce you to Aaron Downing.
Hi Aaron, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I got into barbering as a second career, the first being 20 years in the US Air Force as a weather forecaster. I had developed an interest/hobby over the years with straight razors. First by using them myself to shave with daily, but eventually into restoration of old razors. Since I was at the end of one chapter of my life with the Air Force, I needed a new career path and I thought barbering might be fun and it aligned with my hobby as well. It turns out that this was a great fit for me and straight razors have become a big part of my business and why people come to me in particular. Unfortunately, most barbers and barbershops these days don’t include shaving as a big part of their business, especially using traditional fixed blade straight razors that require honing and stropping for the perfect shave. Many people have sought me out for the very fact that I use traditional razors and use a variety of sharpening stones to give different edges to different razors. This allows me to choose the perfect razor for a given person with their skin and hair type and avoid irritation. Eventually this led to me opening up my own business and shop here in downtown Brigham City. I’ve been in this location for nearly four years now and have expanded into a two barber shop.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Learning a new trade is always an adventure, but some of the skills I had perfected before transitioning to being a barber. When it comes to straight razors, I learned all the ins and outs of using them on myself for several years before transitioning that skill over to performing these services on clients.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I of course am capable of many different hair styles for men, but my primary specialty is that of bears and the art of shaving. The fact that the majority of my clients have followed me to different shops and come to me from other cities means that I must be doing something right! Probably about 70% of my clients travel 30-45 minutes to Brigham City for their beard work or shaves. I feel like my skill with traditional straight razors is the primary draw, and many people have stated that is why they came to me as nobody else offers the traditional barbershop shave experience. Disposable blade razors, while convenient, just do not provide the same level of comfort and closeness as a hand honed razor.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
The fact that my previous career in the military was that of a weather forecaster. It was a complete 180 over to being a barber!
Contact Info:
- Website: http://aarondowningbarber.booksy.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aaron_the.barber/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AaronJtheBarber
