Teddy Edwards Barbers Absolute Meets The Team
“I am astonished by the results! Alex has given me a damn fine haircut. The best I have had in a long time. I look and feel amazing and on top of that, I have had a great experience!”
It’s fair to say that male grooming has stepped up a notch in the past few years, with more barbershops popping up all over the country than ever before. In Brighton alone I have seen countless salons appear about town, and they all seem to be doing a roaring trade. There is one name, however, that seems to stand out from the crowd, one that I hear time and time again when people are asking for recommendations, and that is ‘Teddy Edwards Cutting Rooms’.
Personally, I historically have never been too fussed about who cuts my hair. I take pride in my appearance, but also tend to pop into whichever barber is closest to me at the time when I feel I need a haircut.
I have never been a regular customer of a particular establishment and figured as long as I get a decent cut for a fair price, I am usually happy. I honestly thought one barbershop is the same as another, and although I have had some quite dodgy cuts in the past, I just put this down to pot-luck, or me not having explained what I wanted clearly enough. That philosophy changed forever when I decided to pay attention to the hype and give Teddy Edwards a visit.
Writing for Absolute Magazine has its advantages. I decide to give them a call and speak to Alex, the creator of Teddy Edwards, and tell him all about Aspire, our brand new exclusive publication, and book myself in with the man himself for a haircut and a chat.
I arrive at around 1pm on a Tuesday at their Seven Dials location on Dyke Road and although all the staff seem to be busy, everyone turns to welcome me. The place is buzzing with four or five clients being attended to, chatting away to their respective barbers as if they are old friends. I have not even sat down yet and already I am getting a sense of something special that I have not experienced in other barbers. No sooner than I am asked to take a seat, Alex appears shakes my hand and ushers me to his cutting chair, offering myself and all the other clients a beer which I graciously accept.
As I get comfortable Alex hands me a bottle of branded Teddy Edwards IPA and asks what he can do for me. I explain what I usually have done, which is usually a simple trim, grade one on the sides and longer on top so I can spike and style it. For the first time ever I get asked a whole host of confirming questions. “Have you been growing the top out?” “How high do you usually have the sides?” “What sort of style do you mould the top into?” I notice all his tools of the trade are neatly and professionally laid out on the bar in front of him. Knowing I am in good hands, I take a sip of the lovely refreshing crisp beer which is produced by Dan, a member of his team and part-time brewer! I congratulate him on his skills and relax.
As Alex cuts my hair with the skill and finesse you might expect of someone who has been in the industry for over twenty five years, we get chatting. Alex appears genuinely interested in everything I have to say and I find it difficult to steer the conversation on to him. When I eventually do however, I find out that after years working as a barber and hairdresser for other people around Brighton, he opened his first shop six years ago in a tiny two-seat shop which is now a cactus shop next door and within no time at all word got round. He was so popular queues were forming down the street daily, with some people willing to wait hours for a haircut! He had to move to bigger premises at Hove Station where their popularity grew and five months ago opened his second barbershop on Dyke Road.
They now have an online booking system which works really well, and have enough barbers on site to deal with walk-ins throughout the day. He is truly humbled by his success, and when I ask what sets them apart from other Barbers he puts it down to them making sure they provide consistently great customer service, making sure every customer is treated how they should be treated, have a great experience every time, and of course having a team of highly skilled expert barbers who all buy in to the same ethos. He wants every customer to feel they are getting good value for money! As I look around the room all this seems obvious as the team happily chat away with their customers, greeting every new walk-in with a welcoming smile. All the while an unmistakable air of professionalism is evident throughout.
Alex takes all the time he needs to finish off my haircut, using a cut throat razer to erase stray neck-fluff and cutting in to the top to give it more of a spikey effect. It feels like no time at all however as I am having such a lovely time! When he is finished he uses “Snake Bite” rub on my neck which opens up pores and prevents shaving rashes. When he brushes me off he makes absolutely sure I am completely clear of hairs. I have never left a barbers without having to put up with an itchy neck for the rest of the day! Until now that is. He uses the finest quality “Upper Cut” products including a dry styling powder to give it a firm hold, followed by a touch of wax. I am astonished by the results! Alex has given me a damn fine haircut! The best I have had in a long time. I look and feel amazing, and on top of that I have had a great experience!
For me, it is easy to see how Teddy Edwards has built up such a solid reputation. Their customer service is akin to some of my favourite restaurants. The team provide a professional service in a relaxed manner and the atmosphere this creates instantly makes you feel welcome and at home. They make sure every customer is completely satisfied with their cut and nothing short of this will do. The experience I have had here has changed the way think about Barbershops. No longer will I settle for second best, it is Teddy Edwards every time for me from now on! I am actually looking forward to my next visit! That is something I have never been able to say about a barbers before.
Tony Shattell
www.teded.co.uk
Seven Dials
85 Dyke Road Brighton BN1 3JE
01273206373
Hove Station
76 Goldstone Villas Hove BN3 3RU
01273748594