Photos by Rowen Fisler/Spoke Online
(Pictured left to right) Barber Pole & Co. signage sitting above the main entrance of the barbershop, in Cambridge, Ont., with Antoine El Khoury standing outside his own dream business, Barber Pole & Co., on Oct. 26, 2024.
Sixteen years ago, Antoine (Tony) El Khoury left his home country of Lebanon for Canada with only $3,000 to his name, looking for an opportunity.
Having grown up in a family of barbers and cutting hair himself since he was 13, El Khoury always dreamed of having his own barbershop.
After working at different shops in Cambridge Mall for eight years, El Khoury finally had the chance to turn his dreams into reality, opening the doors to his own barbershop, Barber Pole & Co., on April 30, 2016.
“I came to Cambridge and there were only a few barbers in town, so after working across the street in the mall for some time, I felt like it was a good idea to open my own business because it was really hard for people to find the services they were looking for,” El Khoury recalled.
Most barbershops follow a similar business structure: A customer comes into the shop, gets a haircut, pays, then leaves.
El Khoury knew his business needed that special something to stand out from the rest of his competition, and that is exactly what he did.
Photo by Rowen Fisler/Spoke Online
A look beyond the scissors and to the liquor available to of age customers at Barber Pole & Co. on Oct. 26, 2024.
Barber Pole & Co. has a fully functioning bar, becoming the first barber shop in Waterloo Region with such a feature.
After becoming familiar with the Canadian lifestyle, El Khoury realized that having a bar in his shop was a no-brainer.
“The whole idea came one Saturday night. Me and my friends were talking about how Canadian people like to socialize with a beer in their hand… so I thought I should sell haircuts and drinks because that’s what people here like,” El Khoury said.
Customers have a wide variety of drinks at their fingertips, with options such as beer, rum, vodka, and whiskey only a glass away.
Each customer can have up to three drinks, as El Khoury wanted to maintain a welcoming environment for his diverse range of clientele.
“At the end of the day, this is a barbershop, not a bar,” El Khoury said.
“It’s a family environment, you have parents who bring their kids here… we have to make sure this place is safe for both the parents and the kids… I don’t want people to get the idea that this is an environment that isn’t welcome to everyone,” El Khoury said.
Photo by Rowen Fisler/Spoke Online
Tony El Khoury carefully snips away at the hair of a customer at Barber Pole & Co. on Oct. 26, 2024
While business is in full swing now, Barber Pole & Co. had to claw its way to where it is today, as the COVID-19 pandemic had a huge impact on the shop and its ability to grow within the local community.
For long periods during the height of the pandemic, El Khoury was forced to close his doors, or operate in an extremely limited capacity to what was normal.
It severely impacted the business; El Khoury considered closing up shop for good.
Even with a mountain of challenges ahead of him, El Khoury knew mountains were meant to be climbed, especially if it allowed his dream to stay alive.
“At one point, I was scared, I was weak, I thought ‘should I give up this idea’, but I just thought to myself, ‘keep your head up, keep praying, and keep fighting’, and that’s what I did,” El Khoury confided.
Photo by Rowen Fisler/Spoke Online
Tony El Khoury and his barbers performing various tasks in the haircutting process at Barber Pole & Co. on Oct. 26, 2024.
In a post COVID-19 world, Barber Pole & Co. is thriving, with the business employing a dozen different barbers including El Khoury.
Bekah Rose is one of those barbers. Rose had worked at many barbershops throughout the region in the past five years, unable to find a place that suited her needs on a day-to-day basis.
Once she came across Barber Pole & Co., she realized the business could give her what she was looking for in a job.
“I’ve been here eight months… it’s the longest I’ve stayed at a shop before because Tony works with me. I have kids so he works around my schedule and it makes my life a lot easier,” Rose said.
Photo by Rowen Fisler/Spoke Online
Steve Pasco (pictured in seat) is one of the many regulars who came in for a haircut at Barber Pole & Co. on Oct. 26, 2024.
El Khoury has built a loyal client base, including customers like Steve Pasco, who keeps coming because of everything the shop has to offer.
“It’s a good environment, it’s not just the haircut. It’s also the people who cut your hair… it’s family oriented, it’s relaxed, it’s good vibes, what more can you ask for,” Pasco explained.
Despite the barbershop’s success, El Khoury is certain that when the razors stop buzzing and the scissors stop clipping, he isn’t what makes the business special.
“It’s the client that makes this place special. It’s when people come here and enjoy what we offer, that’s what’s special,” El Khoury said.
“If you come here and don’t come back, there is nothing special about this… you come back for a reason, because it’s special and that’s the experience we hope all our clients enjoy while they’re here,” El Khoury said.
