Name: Mackhard Barber Shoppe
Address: 25 S. Washington St., Naperville
Phone/website: 331-231-9863; mackhardnaperville.com
Owner: Milan Khamisi, 36, of Montgomery
Years in business: 6
What does your business do? “We offer haircuts for men and we also take care of children and women. We offer the classic shave with a hot towel. And we have a VIP service for grooming,” Milan Khamisi said.
What’s the background? “There are other Mackhards but with different owners. … Here in downtown Naperville, we have so much foot traffic, people who walk into the shop. It’s good to see so many different people.”
How about you? “I’ve been cutting hair for about 20 years. … It makes my day when someone gets a good haircut. … I’m from Persia. Iran. I moved to America in 2015. All of my family has been here for about 20 years.”
What did you do before this? “I was cutting hair on the north side of Chicago.”
Why did this location appeal to you? “I like being in downtown Naperville. People are very nice here. So many bars and restaurants and easy parking. They can get in for a haircut.”
“When I bought the shop in 2020, everything was great. Then we had to close the shop for two months (because of the COVID-19 pandemic). That was really bad. I couldn’t sleep. We didn’t know what was going to happen. I hope that never happens again. We had to cut hair wearing gloves and masks.”
Do you trim goatees and beards? “Yes, we do.”
Is this location good? “It is. But it was terrible, really bad, for three or four months during the construction (on Washington Street).”
Do you have more male or female clients? “Eighty percent are men.”
How many barbers? “We have six barbers. … Yes, I still cut hair. I love it.”
What are your hours? “We are open seven days. Monday through Saturday is 9 to 6. Sunday is 11 to 4.”
When are you busiest? “Thursday, Friday, Saturday. They want to be ready for the weekend.”
More Top Picks Detailing Brushes
Did you make big changes when you bought the shop? “Yes. Everything here was super old, probably 30 years old. So, I decided to change everything. … I spent about $100,000 (on improvements). That’s why I have to work.”
How do you deal with competition? “We always try to keep the skills high. We go to classes. We learn from each other. We always keep the clients happy. We make sure we do the best service.”
What about prices? “We average $35 to $40. I try to keep the price not too high, not too low, so we can have all types of people. … Some people come in with two kids. That’s going to be hard for them if we have high prices.”
What is the VIP service? “Haircut, shave, neck and back massage, shampoo and style. It takes just over an hour. It’s $100.”
Is certain type of hair more challenging to cut? “Sometimes, straight hair is harder to cut because you have to make sure it’s all even. You can see all the details.”
How do you find good barbers? “That’s a big challenge. They have to have a good personality and high skills. That’s a hard thing to find. I love my team. … We have a two-week trial. They have to have at least two years of experience.”
Any funny stories? “A few weeks ago, a client was only 3 years old. I asked him, ‘How would you like me to cut your hair?’ He said, ‘Old-fashioned and classic.’ That was funny. I cut it shorter on the sides and I slicked it back. He loved it.”
What do you do for fun? “I work out, spend time with my family. I used to do boxing, kick boxing. That was fun.”
What does a customer say? “It’s good for me. I work nearby. I get a good haircut every time,” Tom Vascik, 48, of Wheaton, said while barber Oksana Iefremova cut his hair.
What does a barber say? “I love it,” Michele Kedzierski, 51, of Woodridge said. “I owned my own shop before. It’s a lot of hard work, 15 years. I’ve been cutting hair a little over 30 years. … He’s the best boss. … I still love what I do. Every 40 minutes, you get a new person in your chair. I’m a therapist. Sometimes, people want to talk. You build relationships.”
What’s your advice for anyone starting a business? “Work hard. Be patient. Every day, take it as one step. You learn every day. When I started here, I had to figure it all out.”
Steve Metsch is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun. If you know of a business you’d like to see profiled in Down to Business, contact him at [email protected].