By Stacey Hanks–
Bald tapers, combover skins and curly high top fades. They sound more like the type of moves acrobatic stuntmen or professional skateboarders would be doing rather than the names of hairstyles, but they are just a few samples of the types of cuts available at Luxury Fades Barbershop in Citrus Heights, which recently opened at at 6456 Tupelo Drive.
Found across the world from small towns to the bustling inner cities, barbershops have been a longtime social gathering place that offered not only haircuts and a shave, but in the not-s0-distant past, even medical services — with barbers in fact being referred to as “barber surgeons.”
Historically known for catering to a male clientele, barbershops often bring to mind the image of idle old men gathered about reading the daily newspaper, customers playing chess in the corner arguing in a familiar manner, whilst the barber chats with his customer as he performs his trade, snipping and shaving away.
But around Citrus Heights, barbershops with a more modern twist on the barbershops of days gone by are starting to pop up — shops like Luxury Fades, which cater to a demographic looking for barbers and stylists more familiar with the current trends. And while there were more young men than old gathered about waiting on a recent Thursday as they scanned their phones instead of reading the newspaper, there was a barber chatting with his customer whilst snipping and shaving away.
Meet owner Kyle Singleton, 29, born in Los Angeles. He started cutting hair in his garage at the age of 15, and opening his own shop has been the realization of a lifelong personal dream.
“I was born into it (barbering). Everyone in my family, they all cut hair,” said Singleton in an interview with The Sentinel. “My Dad, Auntie, Uncle, Step-dad — they all cut hair.”
After moving to the Sacramento area at the age of 20 and completing the barber training he had originally begun in L.A., Singleton honed his skills over the next eight years working from two different barbershops as an independent contractor before opening his own establishment.
With hip-hop style urban rhythms thumping in the background, flat screen tv’s on the wall, chromed stylist chairs and freshly painted walls, Singleton explained what he did in order to get the shop ready for business.
“There was nothing but bare walls and carpet when I took over the lease,” he said, noting that with some help from family members and a few workers in the shop non-stop, he had the place transformed from a former military recruitment center into a barbershop, which opened for the first time on June 3.
Luxury Fades has two other barbers on staff: Keenan Pittman, 27, a master barber who has been cutting hair for seven years, and Manveer Sidhnu, a 21-year-old part-time apprentice. Singleton said he is currently looking for other barbers that are interested in renting stations from him, including a stylist trained in women’s hair to offer “crossover” services to female clientele.
So far, the trio have been earning five-star reviews from customers on Yelp, along with positive comments from those in the shop like a 26-year-old client, Anthony, who told The Sentinel he had been “searching for the last two years for someone that is consistently good,” ever since moving to Sacramento from Santa Cruz. He said Singleton met that standard and is “consistently good.”
Luxury Fades, while following the traditions of old by offering services like “steamed hot towels” and razor cut shaves, also offers the modern convenience of a mobile app and encourages people to utilize it to book and keep track of appointments — as well as build up points for a soon-to-come loyalty program. “Black Mask” facials are currently being offered with plans for shampoo services within three months. according to Singleton.
While open daily, with walk-ins welcome, hours of operation vary and can be found listed on the shop’s mobile app or on the Luxury Fades Yelp page. Adult cuts start at $20 for half-an-hour, and cuts for children 12 and under start at $15 for half-an-hour.
