Local Barbershop Instills confidence and community

By Brittany Anderson

Photo by Brittany Anderson

Chris Ortiz, left, works alongside his other barbers during the 2022 9/11 commemorative free haircut event.

Photo by Brittany Anderson

Tony Arredondo during the 2022 Cutz4Kidz free haircut event.

Contributed Photo

Tony Arredondo, left, and Chris Ortiz, right, owners of Gentlemen’s Grooming 101 in Kyle. A good haircut can make or break your spirit — and it’s in this crucial moment where Chris Ortiz and Tony Arredondo shine best.

Ortiz and Arredondo, cousins and Kyle natives, are the owners of Gentlemen’s Grooming 101, located on 225 S Main St. in Kyle.

Ortiz started Gentlemen’s Grooming in 2013, rebranding what was formerly C&J Barbershop. Arredondo later joined the team in 2015, but the duo didn’t become official business partners until earlier this summer.

For Ortiz and Arredondo, their philosophy behind being barbers is simple: they like to make people feel better about themselves.

“I remember the first time I got inspired to be a barber was when I got a really nice haircut. I want to say I was about 13,” Ortiz said. “I remember how much confidence it gave me as a kid, and that’s when I got infatuated with it. … That’s where the whole passion started for me. I know it sounds a little cheesy, but that’s the truth.”

Arredondo had similar aspirations from a young age but didn’t get his start in hair until a little bit later in life.

“I didn’t become a barber until I was 23,” Arredondo said, noting that he was then a tow-truck driver and thought he would do that forever — until his mother-in-law asked what he truly wanted to be.

“I’ve always had an interest for hair ever since I was growing up,” Arredondo continued. “I grew up in the barber shop. I was always clean cut. I know sometimes my mom couldn’t afford haircuts, but when [she] did, I cherished it.”

Like many small business owners, the journey hasn’t always been easy. The pair have faced struggles that go beyond what they experienced during the COVID pandemic.

“A lot of landowners will see a young Hispanic business owner, [and] sometimes they didn’t believe in us as much as we would’ve liked them to, and that was tough,” Ortiz said. “It’s not something that me and Tony hang our heads on and hold a grudge. It is what it is. We just have to keep moving, keep the good fortune and positive vibes on our side.”

But for Ortiz and Arredondo, being Hispanic plays an integral role in how they are able to cultivate the atmosphere of their shop.

Ask any barber or hair stylist and they’ll most likely tell you they know everything about everyone. From their client’s personal highs and lows to the latest news and local gossip, barbershops and salons have long been a place where people feel safe and welcomed, and Gentlemen’s Grooming is no exception.

“One thing about Hispanic families and culture, it's a real tight-knit type of family and community. … I feel like our shop has that,” Ortiz said. “I think that stems from coming from a Hispanic background. That’s something I’m grateful for, and I think that’s helped our business thrive a lot. When we have that type of environment, the clients feel that too.” Outside the four walls of their shop, the Gentlemen’s Grooming team made it a point to bring this energy and get out into the community as much as possible, brightening days and making friends wherever they go. For several years, the business has held two notable events: Cutz4Kidz, offering free haircuts for school-aged children that is coupled with a backpack/school supply drive, and their commemorative 9/11 free haircut event for first responders. They are also looking to collaborate with another barbershop to give free haircuts to unhoused individuals.

For them, doing this kind of work beyond their regular barbershop duties just makes sense — and the love and support they receive in return from the community isn’t lost on them either.

“We’re fortunate enough to have a business now, but it wasn’t always like that growing up. We definitely grew up with humble experiences, me and Tony both,” Ortiz said. “Being from the community, to me, I feel like it’s my duty to give back when I can. Everybody needs that at a point in their life.”

“Once you do give your first haircut, and you actually make people feel good, that’s the other turning point,” Arredondo added. “You’re more than just a barber.”