Jaison Parry was working in sales in 2008 when the U.S. economy collapsed. He realized he needed something to fall back on and thought, “Barbering has been around for hundreds of years, so why not try that?”
He attended barber school for a year and a half part-time, and upon completion of the required 1,200 hours, he passed the state board test. Parry was fortunate to find work in Ocala with two older barbers, each of whom had been cutting hair for 40 years. “It was great to learn all the old-school techniques and combine them with the modern trends I had learned,” he recalls.
Running Your Own Shops
After six years in Ocala, Parry had the urge to open his own shop. Every night he would peruse listings for turnkey barbershops located in a neighborhood and was fortunate to find a shop for sale on 49th Street N. He opened the first Central Oak Barber Co. in 2016.
“I had to rebuild the business from the ground up, and that took about a year and a half,” Parry says. “I would work in Ocala one day a week to make what I needed to get by.”
Today there are two shops: one in the Central Oak neighborhood and the other in downtown St. Pete on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St. N. “We offer all types of cuts and styles, as well as head shaves and trimming and precision detailing of facial hair,” Parry says. “A typical customer is a young professional who appreciates a good haircut but also values their time since we are appointment-only. We serve anyone from age 12 and up, and women are more than welcome, too, since ‘hair doesn’t have a gender.’ Many of them appreciate a shorter, tight haircut that involves more clipper detail.”
The two shops have different vibes, and customers appreciate being able to view the interiors on Central Oak’s Facebook page. The 49th Street location has an “old-school” atmosphere with traditional hand-painted signs by Jeff Williams of Sun Signs, while the Dr. MLK Jr. Street shop has a more sophisticated, minimalist look. Both have the obligatory red, white and blue barber pole, and Parry can tell you what the colors stand for. “In the early days, barbers were also doctors and dentists, so the red actually represents blood, white is for bandages and blue for veins!”
After having to close for seven weeks during the pandemic, today Parry still schedules time between each appointment for cleaning and sanitizing.
Finding the Right Barbers
Parry would like to hire additional people for his expanding business. “I’ve had much better luck when barbers approach me rather than trying to go out and recruit,” he says. “We want to be the best at what we do, and customers can sense that we enjoy coming to work every day.”
Word-of-mouth recommendations have the greatest impact on gaining new customers, and positive Google reviews have been helpful. Parry is active on social media, where he posts photos of haircuts he and his staff have given to valued customers.
“I think that what distinguishes us from other barbers is our attention to detail and the love of our community,” Parry says. “When I’m not at the shop, I make it a point to visit other local businesses and spend money there. And in return, it’s been paid back to us.”
Check out Central Oak Barber Co. at 735 49th St. N and 242 Dr. MLK Jr. St. N. You can book an appointment online at CentralOakBarberCo.com.
