NYC Barber Shop Museum

What NYC Barber Shop Museum does

NYC Barber Shop Museum Inc is a 501c3 nonprofit organization operating a working barbershop integrated with a museum of barbering history, founded by Arthur Rubinoff (a 4th-generation Master Barber) and opened in Manhattan in June 2019. It runs two physical locations in Manhattan — the main museum/barbershop at 405 E 70th St and a boutique at 303 Columbus Avenue — and houses a 25+ year collection of vintage barber artifacts spanning more than 100 years of barbering history, including Koken chairs from 1915 and 1929, antique barber poles, steamers, sanitizers, and early blow dryers. The organization is registered with the New York State Education Department and operates under the general sponsorship of REAMIR & Co., with proceeds directed to its professional community, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, and Free Angel's Day Care Center.

Revenue is generated across multiple streams: in-person grooming services priced $40–$90 (classic haircut, Gold Package, Diamond Package, traditional shaves, luxury shaves with facials and massages), professional barber training ($1,295 for a 2-week Advanced Program, $11,000 for a 600-hour Full Program), recurring single-day workshops and master classes ($250–$350), space rental for photo and video shoots ($195–$250/hr or $2,000/day), branded apparel and REAMIR grooming products sold via Shopify e-commerce, vintage barber antiques ($4,600–$14,700 per piece), mobile barbershop services (NYC Barber On Wheels), virtual museum tours ($5–$11 suggested admission), and tax-deductible donations. The technology stack is commodity: Shopify storefront, Booksy scheduling, Google Analytics, and a virtual tour platform; no proprietary AI or software product exists. Customer segments include men seeking premium grooming experiences, aspiring and professional barbers seeking certification, museum and history enthusiasts, and creative/media professionals renting the space, with secondary hospitality partnerships (Westgate New York Grand Central) and global visitor footfall documented across Europe, Asia, and Latin America.

Name

NYC Barber Shop Museum

Legal name

NYC Barber Shop Museum Inc

Website

https://nycbarbershopmuseum.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Short description

NYC Barber Shop Museum is a Manhattan-based 501c3 nonprofit that combines a working barbershop with a museum of vintage barbering artifacts, offering grooming services, professional barber training, branded products, workshops, and space rental under founder Arthur Rubinoff.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Barbershop and Barber Museum Services

NAICS

Barber Shops (812111), Cosmetology and Barber Schools (611511), Cosmetics, Beauty Supplies, and Perfume Retailers (456120)

SIC

Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844)

akta.pro primary industry

Classic Barbering (Cuts & Styling) (HSALABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Barber Training, Apprenticeship & Education (HSALABAI), Beard & Mustache Grooming (HSALABAB), Barber & Professional Men’s Grooming Products (CRABAGAK), Barbering (EDAOALAC)

Keywords

• Men's grooming services
• Barber training programs
• Vintage barber antiques
• Barbershop museum
• Traditional shaving services

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Grooming Services: In-person barber services including haircuts, shaves, and facial treatments at the physical museum location. Services performed by skilled barbers in a vintage atmosphere.
2. Product Sales: Sale of branded clothing apparel (t-shirts, sweatshirts, sweatpants, hoodies), men's grooming products (Beard Oil, Style Cream, Pomade, etc.), antiques (vintage barber chairs, poles), souvenirs, postcards, and shaving accessories.
3. Barber Training Programs: 2-Week Advanced Barber Training program ($1,295) and Full 600h Barber Training Program ($11,000) for aspiring and apprentice barbers. Includes workshops, master classes, one-on-one training, and certifications.
4. Events and Workshops: Single-day workshops and master classes (e.g., Lost Art of Scissor Cut with Arthur Rubinoff at $250-$350) and multi-day training events featuring guest educators.
5. Space Rental: Rental of museum space for professional photography, video shoots, and events. Hourly rates for media production ($250/hour) and full-day discounts ($2,000/10 hours).
6. Donations and Contributions: As a 501c3 nonprofit organization, receives tax-deductible donations from supporters. Proceeds from sales support social goals, professional community, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, and Free Angel's Day Care Center.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

NYC Barber Shop Museum is a 501c3 nonprofit that operates a working Manhattan barbershop inside an immersive museum exhibit showcasing more than 100 years of barbering artifacts. It sells traditional men's grooming services (haircuts $40–$90, shaves $45–$90), runs the Barber Academy with the 2-Week Advanced ($1,295) and Full 600h ($11,000) training programs, and retails REAMIR men's grooming products, branded apparel, vintage barber antiques, and museum tour/space rental experiences.

Product overview

NYC Barber Shop Museum operates as a 501c3 nonprofit organization offering an integrated portfolio combining a working barbershop experience with educational programs, branded merchandise, and antiques. The core offering includes traditional men's grooming services (haircuts $40-$90, shaves $45-$90) delivered in an immersive turn-of-the-century museum environment. The Barber Academy provides professional education through two programs: the 2-Week Advanced Training ($1,295) and the FULL 600h Barber Training Program ($11,000). The retail side encompasses the REAMIR Men's Grooming Product Line (beard oils, styling products, shaving creams), Custom Barbers Apparel (t-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies), and vintage barber antiques. Additional offerings include NYC Barber On Wheels mobile services, virtual tours ($11 admission), and professional space rental for photo/video shoots ($195-$250/hour). The museum is patronized by REAMIR & Co., and proceeds support the professional community and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• REAMIR Men's Grooming Products: Proprietary line of men's grooming products including beard oil, styling cream, pomade, shaving cream, and kits sold at the museum and online.
• NYC Barber On Wheels
• Barber Academy

Products and services

• Haircut Services Classic haircuts performed with scissors and/or clippers, with personal comb, personal blade, hot towel, and optional wash and massage. Available in Classic ($40), Gold Package ($65), and Diamond Package ($90) tiers; performed by the museum's barbers in the working barbershop inside the museum environment.
• Luxury Shave Services Traditional straight-razor close shaves with pre-shave and after-shave skin care, facial/neck/shoulder massage, and cold towel. Standard shave ($45) and Luxury shave ($90, with extra preparation, after-shave care, and complimentary drink).
• 2-Week Advanced Barber Training Program Advanced barber training for apprentice barbers featuring one-on-one workshops on classic layer cuts and high fades, master classes on presentation and customer attraction, business training, supervised apprenticeship in working Manhattan barbershops, and free access to BarberOnline.org. Tuition $1,295 with certification on completion.
• Full 600h Barber Training Program Complete 600-hour barbering program including two weeks of theory classes, presentation on safety regulations, master classes on economics and law, one-on-one workshops on mannequins, apprenticeship at REAMIR & Co Barber Shops, advanced classes, and complimentary workshop access. Tuition $11,000 with certification of completion.
• Custom Barbers Apparel by Arthur Rubinoff Branded clothing line including t-shirts (THE CUTFATHER!, SON OF A BARBER, IN BARBER WE TRUST, BARBER STATE OF MIND), Lilac Sweatshirt, Pistachio Green Hoodie, and sweatsuits, all in 100% cotton and pattern designed in USA. Prices $15–$115.
• REAMIR Men's Grooming Products Professional men's grooming line including Beard Oil ($18.40), Style Cream ($17.60), Styling Gel ($10.40), Classic Pomade ($16.80), Fiber Wax, Matte Clay, Shaving Cream, Pre-Shave Oil, Leave In Conditioner, and 2N1 Shampoo. All alcohol-free, paraben-free, made in USA.
• REAMIR Grooming Kits Bundled grooming sets including Essential Kit ($46.40), Boss Kit ($55.20, Shaving Cream, Styling Gel, Leave In Conditioner, Pre-Shave Oil), Hipster Kit ($30.40, Beard Oil and Matte Clay), Shaving Kit ($31.20, Pre-Shave Oil and Shaving Cream), and Greaser Kit.
• Vintage Barber Antiques Rare vintage barber antiques including Renovated Koken's Barber Chairs (1929 for $4,950; 1915 for $13,999), Restored Theo A Koch's Barber Poles (1929 for $4,600), and one-of-a-kind Amerikana prototype ($14,700).
• NYC Barber On Wheels Fully equipped and licensed mobile barbershop service bringing barbershop services to people in hospitals and senior citizen homes who cannot travel to a physical shop. Created by Arthur Rubinoff and featured on Fox5.
• Gift Certificates Gift certificates available for haircut and shave services, redeemable on comparable service packages. Available online via the museum's Shopify store.
• Museum Tours Private and group tours of the barbershop museum collection and artifacts, including the historic barbering memorabilia spanning more than 100 years. Booking required via the museum's contact page.
• Space Rental Professional photo and video shooting space rental at $195/hour (special offer with 30-second video and photoshoot), $250/hour for media production, or $2,000 for full day (10 hours). Includes three working stations and the museum's distinctive vintage environment.
• Virtual Tour Online virtual tour of the main collection exhibit with navigation icons, information signs, larger display views, historical video overview, and links to sale items. Suggested admission $11 per person for US residents, with lower tiers starting at $5.
• Barber Academy Workshops Single-day and multi-day professional barber workshops including Lost Art of Scissor Cut with Arthur Rubinoff ($250 early bird, $350 regular), Italian Shave with Danilo Alfonso (Portugal), Scissor Cut Freestyle Technique, and IBS Las Vegas demonstrations. Includes hands-on mannequin training and certificate of completion; tax-deductible receipts.
• Support/Merchandise Souvenirs Souvenir merchandise and donation products including t-shirts, postcards (NYC Barber Shop Museum, Behind the Chair, From the Founder), and framed vintage souvenir sets ($95-$210). All purchases support nonprofit causes with tax-deductible receipts.
• REAMIR Shaving Sets Premium shaving sets by REAMIR including Old School Shaving Set ($96), Classic Shaving Set ($141), Straight Edge Shaving Set ($121), Wooden Shaving Set ($99), and Wooden Handle Straight Razor ($24).
• B Caps by Victoria Bonya Custom-designed premium caps in various colors (Neon Midnight Black, Cotton Red, Cotton Black, Neon Orange, Neon Green Light, Neon White, Neon Indigo, Neon Graphite). Prices from $66.
• Barbering Literature Books on barbering including Securing Wealth From Behind The Chair by Dontay Stevenson ($33.97), a financial guide for modern barbers and beauty professionals.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 25 years of barbering history preserved and shared with visitors globally
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• REAMIR & Co.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGeneral sponsor and patron of NYC Barber Shop Museum since its founding. Proceeds from REAMIR Men's Grooming Product Line directed toward museum operations and relocation. Arthur Rubinoff also founded REAMIR which operates barber shops and men's grooming products. Renovated vintage barber chairs (e.g., Koken's 1929) performed by Reamir & Co with signature elegance.
• BarberOnline.orgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational platform partner providing complimentary access to video materials for students enrolled in the Full 600h Barber Training Program. Also created by Arthur Rubinoff (@barber.online).
• Westgate New York Grand CentralminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPremium hospitality partner recommending NYC Barber Shop Museum services to hotel guests. Located at 304 East 42nd Street, New York, NY 10017. Cross-promotional relationship where the hotel recommends classic Men's Grooming Experience to visitors.
• Project XV Museum (Illinois)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTemporary exhibition partner hosting part of NYC Barber Shop Museum collection in Illinois during winter 2023 for regional museum presentation.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Fellow Barber: Fellow Barber is a New York-based classic and modern barbershop chain offering cuts, shaves, and grooming services. It is directly comparable to NYC Barber Shop Museum as a premium NYC barbershop targeting similar customers with similar grooming service menus.
• Schorem Haarsnijder en Barbier: Schorem is a famous traditional barbershop in Rotterdam known for old-school barbering craft and product retail. Highly comparable to NYC Barber Shop Museum for its classic barbering ethos, focus on traditional men's cuts and shaves, and retail of grooming products.
• The Art of Shaving: The Art of Shaving operates barbershops and a proprietary men's grooming retail line across major US cities. It is a direct peer given overlapping premium barbering services, men's grooming products, and retail store footprint similar to REAMIR and NYC Barber Shop Museum.
• Bevel: Bevel is a men's grooming brand offering razors, beard care, and hair products targeted at men of color. Comparable to REAMIR/NYC Barber Shop Museum as a premium men's grooming product company with content-driven brand storytelling.
• Duke Cannon Supply Co. Duke Cannon is a men's grooming and personal care brand sold through retail and e-commerce channels. Comparable as a men's grooming product company with branded storytelling, though lacking the barbershop/museum vertical.
• Blind Barber: Blind Barber operates a network of premium urban barbershops and sells men's grooming products. It is a direct peer as a contemporary multi-location barbershop with a branded product line serving similar demographics in major US cities.
• Geo F Trumper: Geo F Trumper is a historic London perfumer and barbershop offering traditional shaves, haircuts, and a proprietary men's grooming product line. Comparable to NYC Barber Shop Museum for its heritage positioning, traditional barbering services, and branded grooming retail.
• Truefitt & Hill: Truefitt & Hill is a historic London barbershop (Guinness-certified oldest) offering classic grooming, traditional shaves, and a branded men's grooming product line. Comparable to NYC Barber Shop Museum through its heritage positioning, classic barbering services, and branded retail.

Emerging players

• Empire Beauty Schools: Empire Beauty Schools operates a national network of cosmetology and barber training schools. Comparable for its state-licensed barber training programs similar to the NYC Barber Shop Museum's NY State Education Department-registered Barber Academy.
• Moler Barber College: Moler Barber College is a long-running vocational barber training school. Comparable to NYC Barber Shop Museum's Barber Academy as a regulated barber training provider, though Moler is a pure educational institution without retail or museum components.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCBvWNx8k-StKpSWeUCnmldA
• Facebookfacebook.com/NYCBarberMuseum
• Instagraminstagram.com/nycbarbermuseum

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 NYC Barber Shop Museum