Olaf Growald
Edward Ramirez and Francisco Castaneda
Readers’ Pick: Best Barbershop | District Barbershop
Five years ago, when local barber Edward Ramirez broke away from the Fort Worth Barber Shop to open his own place, he started out small, leasing a shoebox of a spot in the then-burgeoning Foundry District.
We’re talking small. Like 100 square feet small. “Actually, I think it was 104 square feet,” he laughs. “There was enough room for one barber chair, one regular chair, and that was it.”
Now, Ramirez and biz partner/fellow barber Francisco Castaneda have space aplenty. District Barbershop, the pair’s local chain of shave and cut shops, is three locations strong. The flagship is on Jennings Avenue on the Near Southside. A second location opened last year near Alliance. And this past May came store No. 3, a franchise in North Richland Hills.
Ramirez attributes the popularity of his shops, which won Readers’ Choice for best barbershop this year, to their authenticity.
“We are a real barbershop,” he says. “That means all of our barbers are licensed barbers. That means they graduated from barber school and received their licenses. Some other places employ stylists, and that is not the same thing, by any means. Being a barber, having that license, makes a huge, huge difference in what someone cutting your hair can do.”
District Barbershop is a throwback to old-school barbershops but is still very much a part of the here and now. Classic barbershop services include hot towel shaves, open-razor shaves, military-style cuts, and various styles of fades. Barbers are also adept at new hairstyle trends, as well as the exceedingly important art of shaping and trimming facial hair.
“That’s such a huge deal right now — beards, mustaches, any type of facial hair,” Ramirez says. “We’ve got customers who’ve been with us since we opened because we know exactly how they want their beards trimmed.”
Ramirez’s interest in the world of barbershops wasn’t immediate. As a student at Trimble Tech, the Fort Worth native, who grew up in the Diamond Hill area, studied photography and, after graduation, quickly immersed himself in the world of wedding and portrait photography. He spent the next two decades making a name for himself as an in-demand photographer.
But burnout eventually set in, and Ramirez turned his attention elsewhere.
“I was in my mid-30s, at this major crossroads in life,” he says. “Had no idea what I wanted to do. I just knew that I loved working with my hands, and I loved being around people.”
Enter barber school. Ramirez enrolled at the Williams Barber College and immediately fell in love with the industry. “I realized being a photographer and being a barber shared a lot of the same aesthetics,” he says. “You’re working with your hands, working with people, and being very creative. I knew this was what I wanted to do.”
Timing could not have been better. Men’s hairstyles were beginning to shift more toward fades and other clipper cuts. Plus, there was a newfound need for barbers who could cut and shape facial hair.
“There was definitely a need for old school-style barbershops,” Ramirez says. “But all we were trying to do was create a space that barbers enjoyed working in and customers like hanging out in. We also wanted moms and girlfriends and wives to feel comfortable coming in. Back in the day, a long time ago, they may have been given a hard time. That’s not something we wanted. We want to keep it family-friendly. I don’t think that will ever go out of style.”
Day Spa: Reader Pick | Elite Skin & Lash
Elite Skin & Lash of Colleyville is owned by esthetician Samantha Tisnoi, who’s built her business around skin care services, relaxed atmosphere, high-quality products, and eyelash services.
Preparing to reopen after COVID-19 restrictions, Tisnoi created a clear acrylic barrier called “YouProtector,” which allows clients to get treatment with an extra layer of protection.
