An Old-Fashioned Style Barber Shop WRITTEN BY: SHAILEEN KELLY LANDSBERG
The feeling of a traditional hometown barber shop was important to Matt Conklin, owner of one of Orange’s newest businesses, Matt’s Barber Shop, located at 288 Boston Post Road. Conklin, who was born and raised in town, definitely succeeds at giving that feel to his location. Three comfortable barber chairs stand at the ready for customers who enter Conklin’s brightly lit welcoming space. Each station in the shop is surrounded by simple and rustic décor and is well-stocked with all the necessary supplies. A big-screen television sits on the wall above the stations in full view of the customers. The station is tuned to the customers’ preferences, and often lands on a channel showing a game for whichever sports are in season. BECOMING A BARBER “I’ve been a barber for 15 years,” shared Conklin when asked about his career. “I was working in a group home when one of my friends mentioned he was going to barber school. I looked into it through Toni&Guy Hairdressing Academy in Newtown and liked what it was all about, so I enrolled and became a barber.“ Once he completed the training at Toni&Guy, Conklin was hired on as a full-fledged barber. He worked at Hero for Men Barbering in Newtown and also had the opportunity to teach at Tony&Guy. His dream to own his own shop grew during that time, and he began looking for a space to call his own. Recognizing there were fewer and fewer places that were strictly barber shops and there was still a need for that service, Conklin thought, “it
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would be cool to open an old-fashioned barber shop.”
DREAMS OF ORANGE “I was so happy to have found this location – coincidentally I was at a store across the street and saw the ‘For Rent’ sign in the window, so I spoke with the landlord.” Conklin soon signed the lease and officially opened the doors on June 22, 2021. “It is so nice to come back to my hometown to open a barber shop,” smiled Conklin, who grew up in Orange and went through the town’s Amity school system. “I’ve always wanted to be here.” Services Conklin offers are what most people would recognize – men’s haircuts and shaves, and women’s cuts if they are looking for a barber-style cut. One of Conklin’s specialties is the old-fashioned hot towel shave, using the steamy hot towel, a disposable straight razor, and traditional creams and lotions.
BUILDING HIS CLIENTELE “Business has been good so far, and is continually picking up,” said Conklin. “It was interesting starting from scratch, but I’ve done some advertising, use the A-frame sign out front, and of course use social media. A lot of business has come through word of mouth, and the ‘Shop Local’ initiative has really helped.” At press time, Conklin is the only barber on site, but he has plans
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Photo: Paula Severino
Owner, Matt Conklin
to hire additional barbers as more customers come to use the services. When asked what his favorite part about running Matt’s Barber Shop is, Conklin smiled. “It’s not at all like an office job. I love the barber-client camaraderie, and I get to meet people from all walks of life, all ages, and | 15
