The Clipper King

During the lockdown, who among us wasn’t tempted to try a little D.I.Y. haircare? Meet four local barbers and stylists ready to fix what you did to yourself.

Vallejo barber Mike Castillo poses in “the selfie room” at Edge of Colors in Vallejo.

By Deanne O’Connor

Photography by Laura Ming Wong

When you take a seat at Edge of Colors Barber Shop, you’re not just getting a haircut—you’re also spending time with the best damn conversationalist around.

“Your skills need to be the best they can be, but if you don’t know how to talk to people, it won’t matter,” says owner Mike Castillo. “You can’t just buy a chair and wait for people to show up.”

And whatever his clients want to talk about, he’s game. “Whatever guys want to be when they come into my shop, that’s what they are,” he says. “If they tell me they have superpowers, I ask them which ones.”

After shutting down in March due to the pandemic, Castillo finally reopened on May 28—much to the relief of his shaggy regulars.

While he continues to offer all of his regular services—including a stop in the shop’s “selfie room”—Castillo has instituted some changes to keep his clients safe: no more than 10 people in the shop at one time, and clients must wear masks unless receiving a hot towel service, a shave, or a face massage. In between appointments, Castillo spends 15 minutes thoroughly cleaning the shop.

Everything anyone could have possibly touched during their appointment is wiped down,” he says. “It’s like we’re handling plutonium in here.

But Castillo doesn’t mind; it just means more one-on-one time with each client. He’s looking forward to hearing everyone’s quarantine stories—with an offer of a beer or two from the shop’s fridge.

“I’ve saved marriages, I’ve prevented murders from happening, I’ve saved kids from being put out,” he says, laughing.

If true, his business may be more essential than we thought. 1729 Springs Rd., Vallejo, edge-of-colors-barber-shop.business.site