Birds Barbershop is an independently-owned brand of barbershops founded in Austin, Texas. The first shop was opened in 2006 by Jayson Rapaport and Michael Portman with a goal of affordable salon quality for both men and women in a casual, rock club environment. The shops are sponsored by Lone Star Beer and every customer gets a beer with a cut.
Contents |
After Michael Portman quit his job at Disney and moved to Austin, he met up with lifelong friend Jayson Rapaport who had recently left a career as a Wall Street trader. They conceived of Birds as an alternative to salons and chain cutteries after Portman asked Rapaport for a recommendation on where to get his hair cut. Each of their four local shops is built around a large-scale mural by a local artist and features a stage for live music. Portman and Rapaport named it Birds as a direct appeal to women, who they felt were an essential ingredient to any party.