A man from Bristol has celebrated a milestone anniversary for his Brislington barbershop this month. Mike's Headquarters has been a Brislington institution for 30 years, having opened on Bloomfield Road when its owner was just 21 years old.
Mike Randazzo, 51, is originally from Horfield and now lives in Saltford. He was drawn to the profession at a young age, which was his dream job from when he was a teenager while working in a barber shop at the weekend.
“I started as a Saturday boy when I was around 14 or 15," he said. "When I left school, I went to college and the place I was with on Saturdays working, the man took me on full time and I went to college a couple of days a week. When I was 21, I decided to open up my shop with the help of my dad.”
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Mike settled on Brislington in December 1992 when he recognised there was a gap in the market for a barber shop in the area. These days there are almost a dozen barbers in the area with many more across South Bristol, with places like East Street and North Street being hotspots.
“You will see a bit of a difference, there are barbers everywhere. It’s still ticking over and I’ve got my regulars and loyal customers who have been with me since I opened up. During Covid, I had to do appointments only, which meant the format had to change.”
During the pandemic, barbers and salons had to implement strict hygiene and social distancing regulations to be compliant with Covid laws. Fortunately, his loyal clientele meant he sustained trade during challenging times for independent businesses, and while prices have naturally increased over the years, he offers good value for a gleaming service, costing just £18 for a dry cut all the way up to a cut, wash and beard trim for £28.
Mike said: “I don’t think it’s a trade that will go away for a while, most people need a haircut. I might have lost the odd one or two, but they all started coming back, really.
“People are willing to pay a bit extra if you give them a good service and do a good job. I don’t mean to be a big head but I think I’m good at cutting hair, you can get a haircut for £6 or £7 but I don’t think you’ll get a decent one. No matter what industry you’re in I think people are willing to pay a little bit extra for a nice service.”
His daughter, Melissa, started providing hairdressing services for women around 18 months ago from her father’s barbershop. Melissa’s Hairdressing offers various treatments, including cut, colour, blowdry and styling.
Mike added: “I want to thank my dad for setting me up really and everyone who’s helped me. My sister worked with me for 15 years at weekends helping me out, but now I’ve got my daughter with me. I want to thank my customers both new and old over the years.”
Find Mike's Headquarters at 196 Bloomfield Road, Brislington, Bristol BS43QU
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