Coming To America

Now and Then.

The picture above was taken from google maps using "street view"...422 E. Weber Avenue...I am guessing old grandpa's shop was one of these 2 storefronts, I will let one of my family members take a look and confirm.


Even stranger, as I panned down and around the street, look what I found at 410 E. Weber...the Stockton Barbers College...no joke another interesting coincidence revolving around all my BS.

Respect...find out what it means to me.

The photo in the last entry had a good memory written on the back of it, from my moms. Good looking out gramps. I am going to give a shout out to my family now, for supporting me with this projet, and providing me with pictures, memories, jokes, and actual barber equipment handed down through the family ALL of it being used to inspire me on this journey. Much love, much repsect.

I forgot to mention...

Above is a picture of my grandpa Andy, in his shop on 422 E. Weber St Stockton CA taken in 1962.

I forgot to mention in my last post that one of the more personal and inspiring moments of that day came upon my visit to Owen's Barber Shop on Cutting Boulevard in Richmond CA. You see I had done what I needed to do with my morning, which was getting through the red tape bureaucratic procedure to gain my first business license, going to skate around the skate park get coffee and wash the car. After this while heading home to work on my site I realized that having a weekday afternoon to get stuff done should not be spent A. indoors and B.working at a computer. This is when I decided to attack the streets. I had the list of barber shops in Contra Costa County printed out from a week ago in my back pocket...and I knew if there is one thing that's easy to find when driving around, maybe more than corporate colorways and identities, is the red and blue barber pole...which truly is as useful now as it was the day they invented it.

So I hit the first shop I saw, where I quickly got shut down...the barber like the idea of hitting barbers shops to push my stuff is smart but then claimed he was not into the Raiders as a team and would therefore not support me in my cause...I conceded that am I also not a Raiders fan by any means...and the shirt does NOT have a Raiders logo...it's a Barbers logo...he was not buying it. I crossed him off the list I kept in my back pocket.

So I continued into Richmond with a left onto Cutting Blvd...as I had seen Owen's shop many times while on my morning commute. This was where while explaining that my grandfather and great grandfather were lifelong barbers and this is why this project means more to me then just another brand of clothing...and why I am targeting barbers, hoping they will dig it, one of the Barbers asked where my grandpa's shop was. I quickly replied, the first shop was in Oklahoma, and then my grandfather opened his own in Stockton California. Well it turns out this guy grew up in Stockton, which is not out of the ordinary...although him asking me where the shop was is where the conversation started to get interesting. I told him downtown, and he thought for a second while sitting in one of the un-used barber chairs leaning back looking up, and then he looked at me and said was it on Weber...well as a matter of fact it was.

That was interesting, and maybe for me it's more personal and meaningful...but the coincidental moment seemed more like a a strange destined point in my life, it helped me through the day...getting denied all along the way...selling that 1 shirt at the very last shop I went to...I knew it was not going to be easy, and welcome a challenge.

1st down...and whole lot of game left to play.

After making it official and getting my business license, I took the rest of the day to hit the streets. I went to probably 15 barber shops in 4 hours and only sold 1 shirt. It was not a total loss by any means, quite a few backed the brand dug the idea but where not Raiders fans and that's when I b-lined south from Richmond into Oakland hoping the Raiders shirt would be better received. I had good feedback and repsonse in Oaktown but many wanted XXL or XXXL. Lesson learned even though I knew this going into it.

I took a break from interrupting barbers while they made thier oney, and I hit a clothing/shoe boutique called Verse. It's a dope shop in oldtown Oakland with really good peeps...I had a really great conversation and this is when I realized today I actually made first down, but have a lot of hustling to do.

Niners fans hold tight...and yes the legit BS site will be up shortly I have been working my ass off to make sure it's worth the wait.

Thanks to all the shops who heard me out today and gave me that nod of approval...and when I said I would be back, I will.

Paid In Full

The bums lost...

All around the world it's the same song...

All around the world fools need to get cut...as long as there is hair, there will be barber shops.

Patience Is a Virtue

Okay, so maybe you are wondering what's the deal...a clothing brand and no clothes to show just typicl blog chatter, let me assure you that it's in the works and I appreciate your pateince...good things take time. Have you ever rushed a barber while they are cutting away...try it, I dare you.

Mecum Kills It Too.

So after posting that painting below, I though I would shamelessly plug my older brother's site as he is also one of these amazingly talented and insane artists that makes paintings look like photo's.

www.ericmecum.com

Here is one of his older works... to be exact it's 19 years old, and I chose this one as I remember the location which is Sonora CA...and I remember him working on this one in his cramped messy bedroom, doing what he does well.

Cottingham Kills It

Robert Cottingham is an insane realist painter, and how could I not post this one of his many works.

DIY

There is something about this shop that is too cool not too post...when I figure it out I will let you know...

Shall we build a site...

As of now the web address for "the shop" now leads to this blog but I promise to get the official site done asap...for now I offer another new thing to look at and waste time with on the interweb.

My first run of shirts came in Saturday and has proven to be an instant hit.

When I get my site up and running you can help me get from red to black by joining the Barbers Nation, support your local Barber Shop.