These distinctive salons cater to their clients specific needs, but sometimes what they crave is just a little friendly banter.
| 2019 Q3 | story by Mike Anderson | photos by Steven Hertzog
Catherine, Isaiah and Breanna Bell in front of Prestige Hair Studio
When you’re 13 years old, you need two things if you want to be a barber: a pair of clippers and 10 siblings to experiment on. Luckily for Isaiah Bell, he had both. Isaiah is number seven of 11 kids in the Bell family. He owns and operates Prestige Hair Studio with two of his sisters, Breanna (number nine of 11) and Catherine (number eight of 11). Each sibling has his or her own separate space in the studio. Isaiah is a barber offering cuts, shaves, skin care, consultations for balding individuals—he’ll even work on your hair unit (barber speak for toupee). Breanna works in the salon and offers cuts, color, waxing and more. Catherine operates her own alterations business within Prestige and even teaches sewing classes. Basically, it is a one-stop shop for the entire family. As Catherine explains it, “We understand that people want to have their family time, but they also have their separate spaces.”
T to B: Catherine, Isaiah and Breanna Bell
Isaiah started cutting hair when he was 13, experimenting on any willing sibling he could find. Just more than a decade later, he’s now his own boss running a hair studio. “We are a high-end shop with a welcoming atmosphere,” he explains. This detail-oriented individual provides cuts that cater to your personality. Prestige has a hotel feel with customer service that caters to those who like to stay groomed and respect self-care. When you walk in the door, you’re greeted with offerings of water and chocolate. There’s a fountain in the lobby area, the Hallmark channel playing on the television and a chandelier in the barber area. “We maintain people’s image in a relaxing way. The ambience of our place magnifies that aspect,” Isaiah says. Prestige is not a quick-service, get-in-and-get-out type of place. The salon staff strives to make you feel like royalty.
The Bell family is familiar with entrepreneurship. One of Isaiah’s older siblings owns an accounting firm. Isaiah’s father started his own construction business. When the Bell kids were young, their father taught them to be professional when answering the phone, because they would never know who was calling. If the Bell kids wanted something, they knew they had to earn it. “Our parents were just like, hey, if you want that, I’m not going to get it; you’re going to have to go out there and work for it,” Catherine explains. “Anyone who comes in here can tell that we have that heart. We all put our heart and soul into this place.”
Before one goes to a wedding or an interview, he goes to Isaiah for a cut and shave. And in some cases, before a big University of Kansas (KU) basketball game, they visit Isaiah. KU coaches and players are some of his regulars.
Like any great barber, Isaiah at times feels like a therapist. He is always someone’s trusted uncle, offering an ear to anyone who comes through his door. “I get it all,” Isaiah says. “I’ve had people vent to me about their relationships; I’m in here feeling like Steve Harvey or something like the Steve Harvey show talking about relationships.” Breanna explains, “Clients have told me things before they’ve told their family or their doctors. It’s awesome that I have that relationship with my clients.” Isaiah has stories about cutting hair for a big first date and then later right before the marriage. “That’s one thing I will always try to do is to keep it positive. Anytime someone comes in here feeling down, they can leave here feeling 10 times better,” he says. A clean haircut and a spike in confidence is what Isaiah has to offer. He can help those who respect self-care or are looking for a complete transformation. “Come in and let your hair down, and we’ll help you achieve the image that you are looking for,” he says.
Prestige caters to all races and hair types. Breanna is even a certified curl expert. She noticed her cosmetology classes didn’t cover curly hair education: how it should be styled and how to keep it healthy. This isn’t surprising being the state board tests for cosmetology students have seen little change since the 1950s even though roughly half of Americans have curly or textured tresses. So she went to separate institutions in New Jersey for further education.
“Sometimes within our industry, it’s almost segregated in that you can only go to this person for one type of hair. One thing we encourage here is understanding what people want. We are able to be versatile, being able to do all hair types, for men and women,” Breanna explains.
The fourth and final member of the team is Allison Gaspard, the honorary Bell sibling. Allison is a stylist and colorist who worked for several salons before but wanted to work with like-minded people who pushed each other. She appreciates working with a family because of how much they care for each other. “For one of us to be hurting, that means I’m hurting, that means he’s [Isaiah] hurting,” she says. “So it doesn’t help anything to say, ‘Oh I have all this knowledge, I’m going to keep it to myself.’”
Many individuals might think working with family can be difficult, but the Bell family likes the atmosphere it has created. For them, it’s an energy and culture that is about respecting each other’s talents but also pushing each other to be the best. As Allison puts it, “I knew this was the place I wanted to be the first time I got a little criticism. I was like, alright, I like this.”
Prestige Hair Studio has been serving Lawrence since February 2017. That teenage Isaiah knew exactly what he wanted to do and made it a reality. He might not have made it, however, if it weren’t for Marty Watson, the first person to put sheers in Isaiah’s hands and give him a job.
Marty Watson cuts hair for Edward Jones KU Football, Director of Player Development
Watson’s Barbershop
Marty Watson has been cutting hair for 15 years. His first job cutting hair was with barber Mike Amyx when Amyx was running a place on the KU campus. Before long, Marty had grown an impressive list of clients. At the advice of Amyx and hair stylist Joda Doudna, Marty started Marty’s Barbershop on 9th and Indiana streets at age 20. “Amyx said, ‘Son, you got what it takes,’ ” Marty explains. “It was never my intention to have my own shop.” Fellow workers Amyx and Doudna believed in Marty so much they helped him find the location for his own shop. They also helped him obtain the equipment and offered some financial assistance. Marty says at this time, Lawrence didn’t have an all-black barbershop—some salons but not a black barbershop. All this helped drive Marty to create and run his business. Marty now owns and operates Watson Barbershop, at 925 Iowa St. He sees his shop not just as the “best shop in Lawrence” but also as the “best place you want to be.”
Marty has created an environment where everyone can express what they are feeling that day, a place where they can talk freely without being judged. “It’s not just offering quality haircuts; everybody’s on the same playing field at the barbershop.”
Today, the place is packed. Four separate barbers are working constantly. When someone sits down in Marty’s chair, he starts cutting right away, never even asking the client what he or she wants. After seeing the strange look of astonishment on my face when I notice this, Marty explains, “You see people so long, you don’t even have to ask what they want. They sit down on the chair, and I start cutting.” For Marty, it’s as simple as remembering someone’s phone number (before cell phones, of course).
Marty sees 30 people a day six days a week and still remembers everyone. That’s repeat business. “They become part of your family; you become part of their family,” he explains. This shop offers everything a barber has to offer. “Anything, we do.” There’s a certain energy at Watson’s Barbershop. “Stay tuned, our work is just beginning,” Marty says, and I believe him.
Marty thrives on word of mouth; that’s how most of his marketing is done. “This is the type of business where word travels fast,” he says. “You put out a good haircut, people are going to ask where you got it … if you’ve heard about it [the shop], come see for yourself. It can not be described.”
Some people, Marty explains, just come in during lunch to catch up or talk. Some don’t even get a haircut, they just come into the shop for the community feeling. After an hour sitting in one of the unused barber chairs talking with Marty, Nelly and the other barbers, I understand what Marty is talking about. By the time I leave the shop, somehow my name has been put up on one of the whiteboards. Seems I’ve bet Marty that my Minnesota Vikings will win more games this year than his favorite NFL team. At first, the bet is just buying the other lunch, then it evolves into lunch and dinner. We spend 10 minutes talking about what we are going to make the other buy us. He makes sure everyone in the shop hears what is on the line. This is the type of environment Marty strives for in his shop. Here I am a stranger, and an hour later, we are razzing each other about our NFL teams.
Marty and his employees make everyone feel free to share their thoughts and problems. Marty’s four employees share his philosophy. One of his barbers, Tim Nelson (aka Nelly) used to cut at another place. Nelly soon moved to Marty’s because he wanted more of a man’s feel where men talk. He sees himself as an “all-around pimp-counselor,” Nelly explains. “What’s said in the barbershop stays in the barbershop.”
People often forget that barbers have long hours. Prestige is regularly open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. On Thursdays and Fridays, Watson’s Barbershop is open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Both places know that long hours can be grueling but are important for the clients. As Marty puts it, “We still work for the people. Some people’s schedules are different. We try to cater to those.”
Both Prestige and Watson’s Barbershop offer more than just a haircut; they offer experiences and a sense of family. Marty’s advice for any young barber or entrepreneur looking to be the next Isaiah is simple: “Be hungry, and be serious about it. Be a part of the community.” Something tells me we’ll see the Bell family, along with Marty Watson and his team, as part of our community for years to come. p