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Guys go there for haircuts, hot-lather straight razor shaves, custom color, manicures, pedicures, facials and more.
Though annual memberships are not necessary, some men join: silver costs $650, gold $800 and platinum $1,150
The Ridgewood Man on East Ridgewood Avenue, opened two months ago, is filled with unexpected flourishes:
Gentleman Jack whiskey in the coffee area, for instance.
And a framed collection of classic Playboy covers.
The shop is the second in what is destined to be a chain of high-end, modern barber salons in small towns.
“We opened The Hoboken Man in October 2009,” said Dan Hood, 43, of Ridgewood, a retired Wall Streeter and one of six owners.
“It was a drunken stupid bar idea.”
At the time, he and his buddies were all doing well.
Only problem was, Hood couldn’t find a good place to get a haircut. He was frustrated.
So, while continuing to work full time, he opened The Hoboken Man.
“Back in 2009 and 2010, men started thinking about themselves,” Hood said. “They wanted a more high-end salon for themselves.”
Up until then, he added, guys went to the salons of their wives, girlfriends or fiancées.
There are now only four or five men’s places in New Jersey that look and feel like The Hoboken Man and The Ridgewood Man, according to Hood.
Since The Hoboken Man launched when the Great Recession hit, the idea of expanding stalled for a while.
In the meantime, though, the owners bought MUK, a hair care line they distribute in the U.S. The products are in 600 barbershops and salons on the East Coast now, including The Ridgewood Man.
Business started picking up momentum again in 2011, 2012, 2013.
Last December was the right time to open The Ridgewood Man.
Where’s next? Probably Morristown, then Jersey City, according to Hood.
“These days, there’s even more of a tidal wave of men who are dying for this,” he said.
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