Vista Fresh Cut Barbers

from Vista Chamber Magazine Fall 2022

Azzur Group

Vista Fresh Cut Barber Offers Cutting Edge Haircuts

By Barb Miltenberger

Fransisco Gonzalez, the owner of Vista Fresh Cut Barber, knew the neighborhood very well when he opened business there. In fact, he moved to the city of Vista, just doors away from his shop when he was just 13 years old. Back in those days, South Santa Fe Drive was a bit more, shall we say…gritty, and he would ride the street on his skateboard. He does recall a barber being in the very building he occupies decades ago, and how one day the owner of the shop called out to him as he skated by and invited him in for a free haircut.

Fransisco is a veteran who served in our military, and he has also spent two decades in the construction industry. Owning a barbershop was not part of his vision when he was younger. Perhaps it was coincidence, or perhaps it was destiny, but one day while he and his wife Diana were driving down South Santa Fe, they noticed a for rent sign on the building where Fransisco was offered that free hair cut as a teenager, around the corner from his childhood home. They decided to take a leap of faith and signed the lease, doing a full remodel, mostly themselves. When Fransisco and Diana opened the business, they were not aware of the amount of work that was going to be taking place on South Santa Fe in the coming months. The construction and improvements on the road made staying in business very tough for Fresh Cut as well as everyone else on the street. The community was avoiding that part of town while everything was torn up, and this went on for almost two years. This was challenging, especially when just opening and trying to establish a clientele. Then 2020 hit and brought COVID-19. They were forced to dip into his retirement account to stay afloat and Fransisco became a hound at procuring grants. Though open for almost four years, they feel that the shop just began flourishing a year ago, being able to put those trying days and unfortunate circumstances behind them. Today they feel so happy and blessed by the beauty and appeal of the newly designed and upgraded Paseo Santa Fe and proud to be part of the positive change. Fresh Cut Barber Shop seeks to stand out in the industry with a higher level of cleanliness, friendliness, and an inviting atmosphere. Full-time barbers Jorge and Ulises have been great assets to the business with their expertise, offering a variety of cuts. They strive to give the customer what they want, whether it be a trim, flat-top, fade, military regulation cut, or a long hair transitional cut. When you walk in you will be offered a cold beverage and be attended to in a timely fashion. It is their goal to make their customers feel at ease and get the haircut they are looking for at a fair price. The employees that work at Vista Fresh Cut Barber love their jobs and it shows. They are waiting to serve you, so give them a try!