Sabrina and Daniel DiTommaso have had to learn how to roll with the punches these last few years, but they’re refusing to let any setbacks get in the way of what they’ve been dreaming about.
Like all small business owners, the couple — who opened Vintage Throne Barber Lounge in downtown Barrie in 2015 — found themselves faced with unexpected challenges caused by the global pandemic and resulting lockdowns.
“As we were looking to change the pace for our lifestyle and our family, we decided to take a shot and open up here in Barrie. When we found the place downtown, it was at a time when downtown needed a lot of work and it was pretty exciting to start something new,” says Sabrina, who has a background in fashion operations.
The main premise of the downtown location, she says, was to create a place where Daniel could run an "academy" to provide continued education for hairstylists and other artists — as well as open a little barber shop in the front.
“We were very happy there for years. We got involved a lot in the community and that’s how we met a lot of our clientele," Sabrina says. "We started building a reputation for ourselves and then we had the opportunity come up with this location."
They signed the papers for their Big Bay Point Road location approximately one month before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the world.
What was meant to be their second location has ultimately become their home base, after they found themselves making the difficult decision to shutter their downtown location at the end of 2020.
Along with that, she says, they made the decision to create an entirely “men only” space.
“Downtown, we served female clients as well, but the plan for here was always to be men only. We are very big on men’s wellness and the attention we felt gentlemen needed in this industry,” Sabrina says. “We were at a crossroads. The store downtown had a lot of the main issues that everybody else had… so we chose to fold the chips there and put them here.”
The new 2,500-square-foot location includes a retail area, a barber floor where men can come for a cut and hot towel shave, a private shampoo and colouring room — as well as the Wellness Spa services downstairs Plans are also in the works to create an outdoor space where clients can enjoy some fresh air.
“We do special treatments, scalp treatments and colours — Daniel is a master colourist — so we do a lot of makeovers for guys, too. Anything that used to be channelled for a broad spectrum of our clientele is now just focusing on men and men’s wellness,” she says.
“Daniel is going to be restarting his classes soon on the barber floor, so even though we no longer have the academy we can still utilize this space for classes.”
The Wellness Spa, she explains, offers clients a private and relaxing space where they can enjoy a massage, pedicure or manicure, body scrub, facial and wax.
“It’s pretty private down here. Even though we had to go through that with COVID, it was always the premise with us for the wellness services. You book a pedicure, RMT massage (or) pedicure you’re with that one person the whole time. You have this space to yourself.”
A connection to wellness is important for everybody, Sabrina says, adding their decision to create a male only space was simply their way of reaching their gentlemen clientele they have on a different level.
“Sometimes it’s better to be able to service someone with 10 different things that will benefit their life, their wellness.. That really expands to so many areas of their life. You’re really contributing to the positivity of a person in general,” she says. “We really believe in positive men’s energy and influence. They’re here anyway and a lot of times while they may have access to a service, they may not have access to the space they want to be in.
"It’s a very easy vibe in here and it’s very natural for a gentleman to come in here and drop his shoulders right away. You can go get a haircut anywhere and there are a lot of great places out there, but the experience and the vibe really matter to a lot of people now," Sabrina adds.
Despite the many roadblocks they’ve faced, she credits their “anchor in perseverance” as one of the reasons they’ve managed to succeed.
“You’re not always going to know what’s behind the next door. Sometimes you just have to open it and give it a chance and I am glad that we did.”
