Barbershop of the Month: We dive in to the Cape Kings headquarters.

Cape Kings

Located in the heart of Croydon, Cape Kings is a brand that has been making a huge name for themselves within the barbering industry. We sat down with proprietor, Togs, to discuss their fantastic new barbershop showroom.

With the aim to demonstrate to barbers that the bare minimum that they deserve is top quality, Cape Kings delivers only the finest in barbering capes and apparel. From their factory shop floor to their enticing showroom, the entire building is choc-full of gems that the team are eager to share.

Cape kings aren’t a company that will provide less than top-tier, premium products for their company. Owner, Togs, tells us more: “The main aspect of this whole brand is that we want to show people that it’s more of a premium name. We’re not a company that’s going to give someone rubbish.”

As you walk in, you are immediately greeted with their showroom. This is flawlessly demonstrated when you enter their fantastic premises, from neon to the hints of ‘Cape Kings Green’, as we like to call it, it’s an experience that any barber or business owner won’t soon forget.

The main showroom is where, after the Cape Kings team have prepared some fantastic new embroidery, photographs will be taken of the products to help set the scene.

One thing that you’ll notice when appreciating the scene is the giant glass windows at the back, revealing the factory shop floor where the production really takes place. “The front of the shop, that whole area there is our showroom. It’s actually going to be its own little area. It’s quite a cool thing to have!

“Obviously having the shop at the front will help elevate things to the next level. The window you see, which is an open window, that’s the main look into the factory. So, while people are getting haircuts, you’ll see the industry. It’s like a jungle when everyone’s running around doing their thing. It’s a good show that the can see in the background.” Togs continues.

One of the main goal for the Cape Kings Barbershop Showroom is to run on a ‘booking in’ basis. This will leave barbers with the option to work with their own pre-booked clients, where they can work in a fantastic looking space at the same time.

Cape Kings specialises in many products, especially, you guessed it, premium capes. Togs explains that barbers aren’t necessarily ones to work in an environment where their uniforms will be un-fixable from a cleanliness standpoint. This is all the more reason to aim for Cape Kings, as their embroidery is premium and designed to be longlasting, without getting ruined in the workplace.

“we specialise in suppling our customers with crisp embroidery, long lasting unique salon-wear & premium capes. We’re not just any company who like to make a quick buck on cheap uniform, we like give our customers quality & hear great feedback., we also give suggestions with style and emphasis on your brand building.” Togs said.

One of the many other things that Cape Kings offer is brand building. It’s critical to understand the importance of building a brand and, having a history with graphic design himself, Togs knows how to do just that. Togs explains: “We can give you the hoodies, we can give you the t-shirts, and we can give you the capes. We give you the whole package with your own branding. At the end of the day, it’s about our customers, so we want their branding to be key.”

One unique item and interesting implementations that Cape Kings are bringing into the world of barbering is their Social Touch Pads. These are physical pads which if you hold your phone up to, will be able to send the recipient to a link of your choosing. Togs adds: “Say for instance you’re a barber and you’ve got a customer in a chair & they want to follow your Instagram or book their next appointment, they can simply tap their phone and it’ll take them straight there!’’

The future holds a lot for Cape Kings, and by choosing them you’ll only see positive results for your own business. Togs finishes by mentioning that, in the future, they would like to journey into things such as videography and website design a part of a whole brand package

Overall, from a fantastic showroom to premium barber capes, it’s a no-brainer to invest some time looking into how Cape Kings can benefit your business.

Follow @cape_kings

Preparing your barbershop

We chat to Salon Owner and Award Winning Men’s Hairdresser, Jim Shaw, on his top tips on preparing your men’s grooming salon/barbershop for the New Year including dealing with quieter months, keeping the team motivated and thinking ahead to spring/summer.

With 2022 now in full swing it’s important that we are prepared as much as possible to make the year a great success.

Think about your service menu

Are there any additional men’s services you could be offering? Men no longer just want to come into the salon/ barbershop for a haircut anymore, they want to come for a pampering experience, which may include having a facial, manicure or even just adding some more hair or beard treatments. Talk to your clients now about what services they would like to see in the salon, do some research and offer something exciting to your loyal clients for the New Year, which may also attract new clients into the salon too if you’re offering something that your competitors aren’t.

Put in plans to motivate your team

Coming back from time off during the Christmas period to a quieter first few months of the year can be hard, and you want your team to be as motivated a possible to be able to deliver the very best services to your clients. Start to look at training sessions that may be available. Training could be via yourself, another industry men’s hairdresser or barber, or even a men’s haircare brand. Keep your team inspired to allow them to ensure they want to deliver their very best when they come to work.

Communicate with your clients

Clients are they key to our success and we should always be communicating with them to encourage them to come back to our salons/barbershops, and to show them that we care. It’s a good idea to put a plan into action on how to better communicate with clients in the New Year, be this via social media, newsletters or text message. Tell your clients what you have been working on and also inform them of anything new happening in your salon or barbershop. This could be new products, new services, new team members or even any offers or discounts you are offering that may encourage them to visit during the quieter months from January to March.

Keep your salon/barbershop looking its best

COVID has been around for some time now and it’s not going anywhere anytime soon. Clients want to feel comfortable when visiting your space and know that your cleanliness and safety measures are of a high standard. Take some time to have a clean and to ensure all safety measures are up to scratch. Take photos of your space looking as gleaming as ever to help attract clients, and to allow them to feel at ease when they visit.

Think about the months of spring/ summer

Although it’s only the start of the year, it’s a good idea to think about spring/ summer now, when you can become busier in the salon/barbershop with clients looking to update their look for the new season. Encourage clients to book in for their appointments in advance, and also start to think about any new treatments or services you can offer for the new season. Look at seasonal trends and adapt your menu to suit this.