Not Your Father’s Barbershop
From the outside, Entourage Barbershop is an unassuming building located on the eastern end of Sunset Boulevard, situated just before the limits of Sunset Plaza. The classic rotating barber poles flank the front doors, letting all passersby know they can come in for a haircut. Once you step inside, however, the atmosphere noticeably changes.
You can immediately tell that this is not simply a barbershop where you sit around in silence and no one engages with you. It’s also not a raucous place where everyone knows each other’s business and where you only sit and shoot the breeze for hours. As personable as those types of shops are, they often don’t have an attractive look. They’re bare bones, they’re stocked with old televisions and radios, they’re filled with dated furniture. The air seems to always carry the lingering scent of aftershave and hairspray.
Entourage Barbershop is vastly different.
The barbers are affable and charming; everyone sports a smile, everyone’s chatty. They’re indulgent and listening, and snippets of myriad types of conversation float around – graduation plans between a parent and son, a business expansion idea from an entrepreneur, how out-of-nowhere it was for the Lakers to acquire Westbrook.
The sleek interior of the shop features black marble counters for workspaces, black leather couches, and black materials. This contrasts smoothly with the floors, which are the color and style of light slate. Rows of overhead fixtures keep the lighting soft, not harsh. A wall of classic straight razors faces the steps near the rear of the shop.
A New Barbershop Experience for Men
The VIP loft is what perhaps makes Entourage stand out the most. It’s available to be booked for private events throughout the day and boasts a few differences. The leather couches, for one, are a warm shade of camel. Red LEDs surround and illuminate the full bar, and the primary chair is adorned with gold instead of silver. This singular difference is enough to indicate that sitting in the chair is like resting on a throne; there’s a certain importance and sense of pampering it elicits, and you’ll instantly feel like a king.
Which is, of course, exactly what Spike, the founder and visionary of Entourage, wanted to convey. Spike’s journey started in a small barbershop where he swept the hair off the floors. When a customer tipped him a dollar, he felt like he was special; the only kid on a playground, according to his biography on Entourage’s website, with a dollar.
When asked about his vision concerning Entourage Barbershop, he said this:
“There aren’t many places in Los Angeles – the country – actually, the world – where men can go to feel pampered and cared for, sit in a beautiful shop, have a full experience, be poured a drink, relax with the boys, get their hair cut, and then go out. Since the first day, I wanted people to come here to feel special.”
This vision is something that draws both barbers and clients alike to the shop. Everyone echoes the same sentiment: that working at Entourage is a way to make other people feel good about themselves, to restore their confidence, and to improve their appearance.
Working at Entourage Barbershop
Michael S: “I get happy when I see other people happy. I had a little boy, I cut his hair from when he sat on his mother’s lap through kindergarten. He couldn’t say my name, but then he could greet me and talk. I watched him grow up and it made me feel like I was a part of his life. Moving down here to Los Angeles, I was nervous, but I feel like I’m right at home at Entourage.”
Samantha Q: “With my bubbly personality, I can really be myself and have fun with clients. I love talking to people, I love to laugh, and Entourage lets me enjoy myself while making others look great. And it’s therapeutic – a lot of clients walk out more relaxed than they came in because they were able to talk to us and get something off their chest.”
Fidel D: “I keep coming back to cutting hair. I’ve done it since I was 16. This is my passion, you know, and I feel like I’m fully appreciated here. Everyone cares about what I do and how I do it, and everyone wants to build each other up. I’ve improved in everything, from skills to customer service, and I love that we get pushed to be better.”
It’s a place where there’s full acceptance constant camaraderie; there’s no need to be toned down or muted, to be extravagant or over-the-top. They said that Entourage is a place they can simply be themselves, and that authenticity is a unifying thread among everyone who picks up the clippers and scissors.
Humility and Honesty
Indeed, the authenticity is one of the most important lessons Spike learned from his time spent traveling. He spent years living abroad in Dubai, France, and England to cultivate his craft and master his skills. Yet what stayed with him the most were these wise words:
“Stay humble and honest.
All the success in the world, all the money in the bank, and all the fame on your name won’t make you any better than anyone else.”
Services at Entourage Barbershop
Entourage Barbershop offers a number of services, including all forms of haircuts, from undercuts to fades and tapers. They also offer hair design and styling, braids, regular and hot towel shaves, beard coloring, nose waxing, eyebrow care, and facials. Everything that is offered can also be included in the VIP experience.
If you’re in West Hollywood or looking for a barber in Sunset Plaza, you can stop by Entourage Barbershop for a haircut. Find them at 8701 Sunset Blvd; there’s even a parking lot in the rear that can provide quick and easy access. For more detailed information on the VIP experience, give the shop a call.
Be sure to check out Entourage Barbershop on Instagram.
Sunset Plaza looks forward to seeing you on the strip!
