Barber & Supply Opens its Doors in Williamsburg, Brooklyn

08.07.2013

STYLE

Barber & Supply, a new barbershop and apothecary concept by F.S.C. Barber, recently opened its doors in North Brooklyn. Situated on a tree-lined residential street in Williamsburg and just steps away from founder Sam Buffa’s first New York residence, the 1,300 square foot space offers its traditional menu of quality grooming services and retail finds. The light flooded space features original skylights, nine 1960’s classic-style Belmont barber chairs, two 25-foot long custom-built white oak and onyx back bars with handmade oak and nickel cabinetry, and complementing walnut floors.

A 16-foot Grand Central Station style communal bench constructed of hand-bent ash wood functions as the waiting area and encourages a sense of community and conversation. Enclosing the shop is a specially made “mechanic” garage door entrance (in bright safety green) that remains open during business hours. Antique oak, brass and glass shelving, sourced from Virginia, houses an extensive apothecary/retail selection. Barber & Supply’s broad assortment of grooming tools, accessories and personal care products is hand-selected from a variety of independent and cult-favorite sources.

A collaborative series of pop-up shops located in an adjoining 200 square foot retail space will be on going. Here, Sam Buffa, owner of Barber & Supply by F.S.C. Barber answers a few questions.

Life+Times: What makes this space unique?
Sam Buffa: I designed with a certain openness that provides a rare opportunity in NYC to hang out and just relax. When designing our first barbershop in Brooklyn, I wanted to find a space that was large enough to accommodate my vision for the Barber & Supply concept shop. I was fortunate enough to come across a 3,000 square foot gem on the north side of Williamsburg. The substantial size has allowed us to offer our traditional barbershop services, a comprehensive apothecary and a dedicated pop-up shop space for our friends like FairEnds and Malin & Goetz to showcase their goods. It was also important to have a large “back of house” area where our e-commerce, staff training, education, and main offices are based.

L+T: Why is Brooklyn a natural extension of your brand?
SB: For me, Brooklyn has always been a when, not why. I first moved to Williamsburg in 1997 – just a block away from where the shop is now, and have lived in and around Brooklyn pretty much since. I have always felt most at home in these close knit neighborhoods and have been part of the restaurant and nightlife scene throughout the years. It has been exciting for us to bring a true service-focused business to the neighborhood and be part of the day-to-day here in Williamsburg.