What Birds Barbershop does

Birds Barbershop is a privately held, locally owned Austin-based full-service salon and barbershop chain founded in 2006 by Michael Portman and Jayson Rapaport. The company operates 9 owned retail locations distributed across North, South, East, and Central Austin, with two additional locations (West Parmer and Georgetown) in development, and employs over 100 stylists and barbers led by President Chelsea Hadden. Service offerings include haircut tiers ranging from $24 (buzz cut) to $60+ (long cut), professional hair coloring from $35+ (grey blending) to $195+ (highlights), beard and grooming services from $18-$50+, and add-on services such as waxing, blowouts, and conditioning treatments. The company also retails third-party professional products (Verb, Kevin.Murphy, Layrite) and sells digital and physical gift cards.

The underlying technology stack is intentionally lightweight and non-differentiated: online booking is delivered through the third-party Zenoti platform, the brand engages customers via organic Instagram, Facebook, and X/Twitter channels plus email and SMS marketing, and the website is built to WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards. The company's distinctive customer-facing technology consists of the Birds Beats program — hand-curated monthly playlists by local musicians streamed in shops and archived on Spotify — and complimentary beverages including St. Elmo Brewery beer and Hop Water, which function as experience differentiators rather than technical moats. Digital booking, walk-ins, and same-day appointments are all supported across locations.

The business model is direct-to-consumer retail services: unit-priced transactions billed pay-as-you-go, with revenue derived from core cut services (highest volume), higher-ticket color services, beard and grooming, retail product attach, and gift card pre-purchase volume. Customer segments are horizontal — all ages, genders, and hair types are explicitly welcomed under the 'For all y'all' positioning — with no enterprise or B2B contracts and no franchise or third-party distribution. Growth is financed entirely from operating cash flow, with no private equity, venture capital, or acquisition activity disclosed across the company's 20-year history. The company has been voted Best Barbershop by Austin Chronicle readers for 20 consecutive years and has been recognized by Austin Monthly's Best of ATX in 2025.

Name

Birds Barbershop

Legal name

Birds Barbershop

Website

https://birdsbarbershop.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Birds Barbershop is a privately held, locally owned Austin-based full-service salon and barbershop chain operating 9 retail locations with 100+ stylists, offering cuts, color, beard services, and grooming to all ages and genders since 2006.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hair Salon & Barbershop Services

NAICS

Barber Shops (812111), Beauty Salons (812112), Hair, Nail, and Skin Care Services (81211)

akta.pro primary industry

Barber Shop + Salon Hybrid Services (Unisex) (HSALABAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Kids & Family Barber Services (HSALABAD), Beard & Mustache Grooming (HSALABAB), Haircutting & Styling Services (HSALAAAD)

Keywords

• Hair salon services
• Men's haircuts
• Professional hair coloring
• Beard grooming
• Multi-location barbershop

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Haircut Services: Core revenue from haircut services including short cuts, long cuts, skin fades, buzz cuts, and kid cuts. Pricing ranges from $24+ to $60+ depending on service type.
2. Color Services: Professional hair coloring including grey blending, single process, highlights, bleach and tone, and color corrections. Prices from $35+ for touch-ups to $195+ for highlights.
3. Beard and Grooming Services: Beard trims ($18-$27), line-ups ($10+), full shaves ($50+), and razor add-ons ($15+).
4. Gift Cards: Digital and physical gift cards sold at all locations with promotional discounts (e.g., $50 card for $60 value).
5. Retail Products: Sale of styling products including Verb Hydrate Leave-In Conditioner, Verb Curl Foaming Gel, Kevin.Murphy products, and Layrite grooming products.
6. Add-on Services: Additional services including hairwash ($6), blowouts ($55+), hot tool styling ($20+), deep conditioning ($20), ear/brow/nose wax ($10 ea), bang trims ($12), and neck trims ($12).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Birds Barbershop is an Austin-based full-service salon and barbershop operating nine retail locations across the Austin metro area (with two more coming soon), providing haircuts (Short Cut, Long Cut, Skin Fade, Buzz Cut, Kid Cut), professional hair coloring (grey blending, highlights, single process, bleach and tone), beard grooming (trims, line-ups, full shaves), waxing, and add-on services (blowouts, deep conditioning) to individual consumers of all ages and genders. The company also retails professional styling products (Verb, Kevin.Murphy, Layrite) and sells gift cards.

Product overview

Birds Barbershop is Austin's original full-service barbershop and salon, founded in 2006. The company operates as a unified salon brand offering quality haircuts, coloring, and grooming services for all genders, styles, and ages. Core services include Short Cuts ($39+), Long Cuts ($60+), Skin Fades ($49+), Buzz Cuts ($24+), and Kid Cuts ($29+), along with Hair Coloring Services (ranging from $35+ grey blending to $195+ highlights) and Beard Services ($18-27). Additional a la carte services include waxing, blowouts, deep conditioning, and razor add-ons. The company operates 9 existing locations across Austin with 2 more coming soon (West Parmer and Georgetown).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Short Cut Clipper or scissor haircut for hair above the chin, includes razor neck shave. Starting at $39+.
• Long Cut Scissor cut for hair below the chin, including transformation cuts, bobs, and long layers. Starting at $60+.
• Skin Fade Advanced clipper work that takes hair down to skin with detailed blending and razor neck shave. Starting at $49+.
• Buzz Cut One-length clipper cut all over with razor neck shave. Starting at $24+.
• Kid Cut Haircut for children aged 5 years and younger, all hair lengths. Starting at $29+.
• Hair Coloring Services Professional hair coloring services including grey blending, new growth touch-ups, single process, highlights, lowlights, bleach and tone, panel color, and color correction. Prices range from $35+ to $195+.
• Beard Services Full shave service using straight razor technique, beard line-ups, and beard trims. Prices range from $18 to $27.
• Add-on Services A la carte add-ons including hot tool styling ($20+), blowout ($55+), deep conditioning treatment ($20), hairwash ($6), ear/brow/nose wax ($10 each), bang trim ($12), neck trim ($12), line-up ($10+), and razor add-on ($15+).
• Waxing Services Waxing services for ear, nose, and unibrow hair removal at select Austin locations. $10 each.
• Gift Cards Digital and physical gift cards sold at all locations and online, with promotional bonuses (e.g., $50 card for $60 value). No expiration.
• Retail Styling Products Sale of professional styling products including Verb Hydrate Leave-In Conditioner, Verb Curl Foaming Gel, Kevin.Murphy products, and Layrite grooming products.

Quantifiable outcome

• Best Barbershop award for 20 consecutive years since founding
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• St. Elmo BreweryminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Birds Barbershop partnered with St. Elmo Brewery in 2025 to offer St. Elmo Carl (Kolsch) and Hazy IPA with haircuts. Also offers Hop Water for non-alcoholic option. Beer available at all shop locations.
• Austin Psych FestminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAPF Exclusive partnership - Birds Barbershop is proud to partner with Austin Psych Fest. Festival tickets available through Birds promotional channels.
• Austin Sunshine CampsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCharitable partnership where Birds sells exclusive enamel pins with proceeds benefiting Austin Sunshine Camps, which provides free overnight camp for kids.
• The Neighborhood (Austin)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerNonprofit beneficiary of Birds Barbershop's 20th anniversary celebration. Proceeds from limited-edition anniversary merch benefited The Neighborhood, which helps support people in crisis in Austin.
• Verb ProductsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVerb Hydrate Leave-In Conditioner and Verb Curl Foaming Gel sold at all nine Birds locations. Featured in styling tutorials and promotions.
• Kevin.MurphyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProfessional hair products sold at Birds locations. Promotional sales offered periodically (e.g., half off select Kevin.Murphy products).
• CareerPlugminorOthersOnline job application platform used by Birds Barbershop for hiring stylists and barbers. Hiring bonuses available through this channel.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sports Clips: Largest U.S. men's and boys' haircut franchise with sports-themed stores. Directly comparable on men's haircut service mix, walk-in availability, and franchise/storefront retail model, though positioned at lower price points than Birds' premium service tiers.
• Great Clips: Largest walk-in hair salon franchise in North America. Direct competitor for routine, no-appointment haircuts, with substantially larger scale and digital check-in infrastructure that competes for the same value-oriented Austin customer.
• Cost Cutters: Value-focused hair salon franchise under the Regis umbrella, offering cut and color services at discount price points. Provides the price floor against which Birds' mid-market positioning must justify its premium.
• Roosters Men's Grooming Center: Franchised men's grooming and barbershop concept offering haircuts, shaves, and color services in a sports-lounge atmosphere. Closely comparable on the unisex/full-service spectrum and on the lifestyle-experience angle.
• Floyd's 99 Barbershop: National lifestyle barbershop chain with a similar full-service concept, rock-and-roll theming, and walk-in welcome model. Closest national analog to Birds' curated in-shop experience and broad service menu.
• Supercuts: National walk-in hair salon franchise with broad service menu (cuts, color, waxing) similar to Birds' diversified service offering. Competes at the lower-mid price tier for the same walk-in customer base.

Broad incumbents

• Ulta Beauty: Largest U.S. beauty retailer carrying cosmetics, hair care, and styling products. Overlaps with Birds on retail product sales (Verb, Kevin.Murphy) and on color/beauty consumer wallet share, though Ulta does not offer in-store services.
• The Art of Shaving: Specialty men's grooming retailer and barbershop operator. Overlaps with Birds on beard/shaver services and premium men's grooming retail products (Layrite, Kevin.Murphy are also sold at Birds) but is a more premium, narrow-focus player.

Emerging players

• European Wax Center: Largest U.S. specialty waxing franchise. Directly overlaps with Birds' recently added waxing services and competes for the same convenience-oriented grooming customer in Austin-area retail corridors.

Others

• Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa: National personal-care franchise offering massage, facial, and hair-removal services. Adjacent to Birds' waxing and add-on skincare services; competes for share-of-wallet in the personal-care category but is a non-overlapping service line.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/birdsbarbershop
• Facebookfacebook.com/timeline
• Instagraminstagram.com/birdsbarbershop
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/birds-barbershop

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Birds Barbershop