Photo by Howard Owens.
As far as Brandon Armstrong knows, his is the only black-owned barbershop, in Genesee County.
In honor of Black History Month, Armstrong held an open house on Thursday morning, with coffee and donuts, to both celebrate the month and to officially unveil his new logo and new business model for Royals Barber Shop at 317 Ellicott St., Batavia.
When Armstrong opened his first barbershop at Ellicott and Liberty (now Eden Cafe) in 2011, it was likely the first new barbershop in Batavia in a number of years, after a long period in which stylists were in vogue and barbers were passé. In the years since, four or five new barbershops have opened locally, though a couple didn't last long.
More than a dozen years since that first venture, Armstrong is still in the barbering business, and he says he's stuck with it both because it's a lucrative business and because he enjoys it.
"I feel like it's one where you can be yourself a little bit more," Armstrong said. "It's nothing too uptight, but it's still super professional. You can still be yourself. A lot of it's not really too hard of work, I feel like, but it still can be hard work. It's an equal balance of everything."
The new logo comes with a change in the business that he hopes will serve the business better, his customers better, and his employees better. Unlike most salons and barbershops, his barbers are members of the staff, earning an hourly rate plus commissions. It's no longer like they own their own businesses, with all the consequences and responsibilities that go with being self-employed, but they're getting a regular paycheck.
"Now they're bankable barbers -- that's my thing, being bankable barbers," Armstrong said. "Being bankable barbers means they will be able to bring their pay stubs to the bank and get a house or get a loan for a car."
Armstrong said with employees instead of contractors, he will be able to better maintain regular hours, which will benefit customers. Also, with booth rental, there is also a cap on how much money can flow into the business.
"From what I'm learning is that you can't really scale the business, if you aren't being able to profit the right amount and put it back into your business," Armstrong said. "This way, we're able to get some money flowing through the business and be able to get loans for the business. It means being able to scale the business."
Now that he's a proven entrepreneur with a track record of success, what advice does he have for young people in the community, particularly people of color, in light of Black History Month, who are drawn toward going into business for themselves?
"Be the best that you can be," Armstrong said. "Work the hardest. You can outwork your competition. Whatever you're involved with, you have to practice at it, and you have to become the best at what you do. Try to be the best at what you do. Practice makes perfect. Whatever it is that you're involved in, make sure you're practicing and working hard, and it'll pay off."
