Top Tier: the latest to-go barbershop for young kids and teens

Do you dread the thought of convincing your five-year-old for a haircut? Let alone taking him to the barbershop and witnessing with embarrassment as he stomps, screams and fights every minute of the wait time?

Or maybe you are the exhausted parent to a teenager who hasn’t yet found the perfect barber to give him the freshest fade trending on social media!

Either way, a set of Oakville brothers and friends have you covered! Top Tier is our very first consignment barbershop, emerging as the latest favourite of parents, children and teenagers.

Just a year old, this Kerr Village barbershop is a story of love, friendship and human connection. Add to this: its ingenious strategies to reach, acquire and retain customers set ambitious marketing goals for many local businesses.

Five years ago, Luigi Melegrito decided to join his brother Leoles already working as a barber, because his post-secondary education in Business studies did not turn out to be a good fit. The brothers eventually became popular among local clients despite working for someone else.

The idea of opening a consignment barbershop came up during the global pandemic. The brothers, who moved to Canada from Phillippines in 2005, had turned their basement into a barbershop just for their family and close friends.

"We saw youths coming in for a haircut and started buying sneakers from Kevin Viera, my friend from high school who would often drop by. Kevin has a knack for collectible shoes."

When the brothers thought of expanding their at-home business to a brick-and-mortar location on Kerr Street, partnering with Kevin was a natural decision.

"Kerr Street was the obvious choice for a location to relive our memories because that is where I stayed with my brother, growing up."

In Top Tier, Kevin puts up for resale sneakers from his collectible shoes. "The moment you walk in, you will notice a wall stacked with 70-100 pairs of sneakers. It’s impossible to miss it," Luigi added.

Young families love how the Melegrito brothers understand the age-specific needs of children. Young kids, who dislike haircuts, often get anxious. There is a mini basketball hoop to engage kids during the wait time. Children can also use Bearbricks or fidget toys at the store to relieve anxiety during a haircut.

While young kids love rewards like juice boxes and stickers, "we have expertise in the latest skin fades and tapers to excite teenagers, not to mention the enticing shoe wall for the sneaker addicts," Luigi shared.  

The consignment barbershop also has diverse collections for customers interested in hats and jewellery. Luigi believes that when clients wait for a haircut or get one, those are the best moments to attract, engage and delight them with his talk about the add-on purchases available.

"The rest is easy! If they are happy with my service and feel at home, they keep coming back and showering love."

The store, which has a massive social media following on Instagram, is popular for its reels and monthly giveaways.

"We understand that many families can’t afford gaming devices or expensive sneakers. Keeping in mind the aspiration of clients from all socio-economic strata, we encourage them to enter a raffle and win prizes like limited edition shoes or video game consoles," the owner explained.