Business & Tech
Gentlemen First Barbershop Feels Right at Home in Dearborn
Originally opened in Dearborn and gone to Allen Park, the business is back at home—and they're getting comfortable.
There’s no place like home for Gentlemen First Barbershop—and it looks like they’ve finally found a spot in Dearborn where they can stay for a long time.
The family friendly but generally men-only shop first opened in 1997 on Ford Road near Fordson High School, but moved to a larger space in Allen Park six years later when business waned, explained owner Michele Jones.
“Ford was my biggest demographic,” she said. “I had a lot of police and firemen, a lot of Dearborn people. Then there was nothing to bring them there.”
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But Allen Park “didn’t have a lot of foot traffic,” Jones said.
Now, local men in need of a haircut—as well as Jones—are finding the shop’s latest space to be just right.
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As of last August, Gentlemen First can be found in a quaint spot that fits their old-school barbershop mentality on Military Street in west downtown Dearborn.
“It’s a little more intimate – we like it,” Jones said. “We lost some of the intimacy in Allen Park because it was so spacious.”
And intimate is just what a business like Gentlemen First is going for. The three-seat barbershop has stools along the wall for waiting customers (walk-ins welcome!), and a fresh pot of coffee is always brewing. Along the walls, find everything from vintage Michigan license plates to old Dearborn photos to a big screen TV.
It’s much more than a little more off the top.
“Traditional barbershops are the place you can say whatever you want,” Jones said. “We’ve definitely geared it toward guys. We’ve stayed true to it.”
And the service is tailored to each customer.
“We cut hair here. Sometimes it takes a little bit of time and effort,” Jones explained. “It’s very personal, from the time you walk in the door.”
Gentlemen First is located at 949 S. Military in Dearborn. They’re open 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Tuesday-Friday and 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturday. They validate parking, and offer a loyalty program. Seniors, veterans, active servicemembers , police and fire men get discounts. Call 313-565-8300 to make an appointment, or just drop by for a cut.
