Shear Hustle mixes warmth with modern and the building itself is the first evidence you see.
The 700 square feet studio on Owen St. was Baldry's convenience store for decades and had other incarnations before closing as a pizza shop last year.
Enter Gregory Florio, 25 and Taylor Labrier, 22, who breathed new life into the location with their unique barber studio.
It was a spot Florio already knew from high school.
"We would actually come here for candy. It was a convenience store when we were in high school," he said.
The young entrepreneurs who are also partners in life say they wanted something more personal, small, and local.
"We really wanted to support local people and local art," said Taylor, adding the beautiful wood work and furniture in the studio were crafted by local artisan Sam Keays.
Taylor, from Bolton, is a singer who had been searching for her niche.
She went to Georgian College for general arts and science program, then did a pre-health program.
Business has emerged as her strength and her career as she runs the shop.
Gregory is originally from Mississauga but Barrie has been home for the past 17 years.
"I used to do heating and air conditioning until I just made the dramatic switch into hair," he said.
He's been doing hair for women and men for six years but is now transitioning just to men.
With three chairs and a smaller boutique space, the shop is more suited to luxury barbering.
"What we offer here is we do the hot towel shaves, the straight razor services but we do it in more of a relaxed environment," explains Gregory. "Your service times here extend a little bit longer than what your average service time would be at any other barber shop."
45 minutes to an hour for a men's service including everything from shampoo, to haircut and style where most men's services won't go past 30 minutes.
They are fashionable hair cuts for men that care about their hair, according to the young stylist, who says they take barber services and put on a custom, modern flair.
It's a dream come true for Gregory and Taylor.
She came up with the name.
"It's basically about the hustle, the hard work it took to get this place the way it looks and get it all set up," said Taylor. "The hard work that we put into making it."
The neighbourhood is grateful that the tiny building has been preserved with a face lift.
The Baldry family still lives right across the street.
"The wife is about 93. Her husband built the original building," said Gregory.
"The daughter made an effort to come over to us, talk and basically thank us for not destroying the place and keeping the life of the building and saving the memories of her and her father."
And if you like dogs, or even if you don't, the shop owners' pet pooch Gary is a friendly greeter.
Shear Hustle opened in September and is located at 188 Owen St.
