Barbershop, art gallery and cocktail den: Barber & Co arrives in the Six

From a media release:

Barber & Co arrives in the Six
Barbershop, art gallery and cocktail den on Ossington celebrates the modern man

TORONTO, ON – Steeped in a combined six generations of honest tradition, Barber & Co – a union of full-service barbershops and a grooming line for the modern man – opens its first location in Toronto today. Located on the vibrant Ossington strip, Barber & Co isn’t your average geriatric barbershop. Designed to meet the grooming needs of a contemporary man, each barbershop honours the longstanding ritual of a cut, trim or shave, merged with the cool comforts of a social club.
A haircut and a shave 
Hailing from the west coast, Barber & Co is built on a culture of traditional barbering - from the sharp expertise of the time-honoured craft to the shop chairs turned away from the mirrors to encourage social interaction – the Toronto outpost will offer men an authentic experience from generations past combined with the modernity of today. An amalgamation of old school curb appeal with a raw, modern edge, Barber & Co is the personification of the Ossington strips’ culture. Located in a building constructed in 1890, the barbershop pays homage to the character of the century-old home and the artists who previously resided in it. The original paint-splattered walls that once acted as a canvas for the artists are juxtaposed with sleek modern finishes, and complimented with baseball stitch leather barber chairs. A rotating cast of eclectic artwork and installations are bound to be conservation starters, and will also have passersby turn their heads in curiosity. This is a place where the craft of barbering thrives with a hint of the unexpected.

“Barbershops have a longstanding tradition of serving as social clubs, and our mission is to re-create the authentic barbershop experience that was established by our own fathers fathers,” says Martin Rivard, Co-Founder and Master Barber of Barber and Co. “We’re excited to bring Barber & Co to Toronto, and there’s no doubt that Ossington is the right place for barbering culture to thrive. We aim to cultivate a social space where men of all tastes can get skillfully groomed and hang out with the fellas.”
Exterior (L) and interior (R) shot of Barber & Co Ossington.Photo credit: Barber & Co
Play at the Gift Shop
An inspired addition unique to Barber & Co Ossington is Gift Shop, a dual-purpose spot in the back of the shop that encourages the guys to start (or continue) socializing pre- or post-cut or shave. The bar-shop hybrid, designed with retro tiles, dimly-lit mirrored ceilings and two working barber stations, is filled with iconic collectibles and memorabilia, from Rolex watches to vintage comic books, Hot Wheels and more, that are on display and available for purchase.

After hours, Gift Shop continues as a full-service cocktail bar, with patrons entering through the darkened barbershop, reminiscent of an old-school speakeasy.

Flip through the Gift Shop menu, loaded with cocktails skilfully curated by adventurous barman and Bartender of the Year Vancouver recipient, known as H. Skipped breakfast? Order the Breakfast of Champions ($13) for a hearty “meal” comprised of Wild Turkey bourbon, Vinzano rosso, dry curaƧao marmalade, coffee and tobacco Angostura bitters and baked bread perfume. For that ravenous sweet tooth, Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory ($13) is just the right amount of nostalgia and well, sweetness, with Havana Club 3 rum, clarified lemon juice, banana split and chocolate peanut syrup, edible paint, egg white, candy sprinkles and cotton candy perfume. For those with a worldlier craving, Gift Shop offers four remarkable concoctions from New Orleans, New York, London and Victoria – a nod to the legends of cocktails past and present.

Pair drinks with light, but flavourful bar snacks sure to satisfy even the most discerning of taste buds. From grana Padano Cheese Straws ($2) with spicy salt to mixed Barnuts ($5) and smoked Castelvetrano Olives ($6), Gift Shop rounds out the Barber & Co experience.

Curious fact: The bar menu itself is a vintage play on old-timey collectables with its format reflective of Popular Science Magazine – a notable science journal founded in the late 19th century.


Stay well-groomed between visits
A grooming line, manufactured in Barber & Co’s Academy + Lab space in Vancouver’s historic Yaletown neighbourhood - keeps men well-groomed between visits. Paraben, sulfate-free and environmentally friendly, Barber & Co’s range of grooming products range from matte pomade or putty to beard and shave oil. Handcrafted using sustainable practices and natural ingredients whenever possible, the Barber & Co line is a modern interpretation of traditional sensibilities created by master barbers.

• To view a full list of Barber & Co’s products, click here.

Barbershop hours:
Monday to Friday: 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Saturday: 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Sunday: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Gift Shop hours
Wednesday to Sunday: 8 p.m. – Late

Instagram: barberandco
Twitter: @barberandco
Facebook: facebook.com/barberandcoossington
Website: barberandco.ca
Hashtag: #BarberandCoTO

About Barber & Co:
Steeped in a combined six generations of honest tradition, Barber & Co. is a union of full-service barbershops and grooming line for the modern man. The shops offer sharp expertise in the craft of barbering artfully blended with the comforts of a social club. The products are a modern interpretation of those traditional sensibilities made by barbers out of our Academy + Lab space in Vancouver’s historic Yaletown neighbourhood. Our products are crafted by hand using sustainable practices and natural ingredients whenever possible. They are paraben and sulfate free. Each product is developed in the lab and rigorously tested in our shops by our barbers before going to market.

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