Found out the average barber shop chair costs over $900 brand new and I was floored

I was just browsing through some supply catalogs the other day, not even really looking for anything, and I stumbled across the price tags on barber chairs. My jaw literally dropped. I knew they weren't cheap, but I'm talking $900 to like $1,500 for a decent one from a place like SalonCentric. I've been using this beat up old chair I got at a garage sale for $40 five years ago in my shop in Phoenix, and it's always been wobbly but I figured it's fine. Now I'm realizing why the good ones don't shake when you're doing a fade. Has anyone else ever actually bought a new chair and felt like it was worth the money, or am I just being cheap and should I start saving up?

2 comments

2 Comments

alex52413d ago

I mean, you're not wrong about old stuff being built like tanks, but there's a line between character and straight up unprofessional. If your chair is wobbly enough that customers notice, that's bad for business. Maybe just save up for a midrange one, they're solid without breaking the bank.

hugo23613d ago

You're looking at this all wrong, honestly. That beat up $40 garage sale chair is probably built better than anything you can buy new today because they don't make them like they used to. All that chrome and hydraulics in the fancy new ones just means more stuff to break down the line, and try finding someone to fix that in 2024. Meanwhile that old wobble just gives your shop character, customers probably don't even notice it unless you point it out. Save your money and put it into something that actually matters for the cut, like better clippers or lighting.