Floyd’s 99 Barbershop Is Cutting Into the Mobile Business Market
Boston has reveled in the success of the burgeoning food truck scene, paid parking tickets on a government-owned truck, purchased clothes from the back of a vehicle, and, most recently, welcomed the announcement about libraries on wheels.
But another business is cutting into the competition, and looking to sweep-up the haircut market. This week, Floyd’s 99 Barbershop, which has locations in Cambridge, Boston, and Woburn, rolled out their own traveling business, offering people a chance to take a seat in the stylist’s chair and freshen up their look.
At the corner of Boylston and Hereford Streets on Tuesday afternoon, Floyd’s 99 rolled out their new “Barberbus,” as employees welcomed customers onto the truck to cut their hair. The vehicle, a scaled down version of an actual barbershop, complete with chairs, mirrors, and all the accessories that make up a traditional brick-and-mortar location, was first announced in June, but debuted on the streets on July 8.
The company said they are currently doing a “trial run” in Boston, and the bus will be traveling to other cities to test out the market.
“They are just trying to promote it as much as they can, and see how it works out,” said Tisha Camillo, a customer service consultant at Floyd’s 99 on Mass. Ave. “It looks just like a Floyd’s shop, but on a bus. It opens up a little bit, and people can come on board.”
Over the next few days, people can get a trim on Floyd’s 99 Barberbus at select locations by tracking them down at several locations around the city, and following them on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #Barberbus.
A representative from the shop told Boston that the truck would be stationed outside of the Doobie Brothers concert at the Blue Hill Bank Pavilion in the Seaport District this week.
While the truck is a temporary city staple for the time being, the company has plans to try and bring it back to Boston more often, and possibly share a truck between here and Philadelphia.
