Founded on the promise of delivering to the community, the Streets Barbershop was born in 2019.
Head barber Nasir Sobhani, also known as the Streets Barber, provided haircuts and heartfelt conversation to homeless people in the streets of Melbourne for several years. Following this, Nasir made the move to Geelong to continue his work.
“What keeps me going is the members of the community. Finding refuge, finding solace, finding a safe space within the barbershop – whether you’ve come to get a haircut, or you’ve just come to have a coffee or hang out and just talk,” Nasir says.
Founded by the Furnari family, the Streets Barbershop focuses on creating a safe and inclusive community environment for Geelong locals.
“The concept of the Streets Barber emphasises the concept of ‘we, not me,’” Nasir says.
“Sure, it’s a barbershop where people go for haircuts, but you’d find at least half of the patrons inside aren’t actually getting haircuts.”
Often discussing heavy hitting issues such as social prejudice, bettering oneself and movements such as Black Lives Matter, the directors and staff at the Streets Barbershop have fostered a warm and welcoming environment.
The multicultural environment in the shop is one of which the staff are deeply proud. With most of the staff having come to Australia from other countries, the diversity and mixing pot of cultures is a beautiful experience.
Nasir says that cutting hair is a universal experience for people around the world, and the team is grateful to have the ability to connect with people from all walks of life through the shop.
The Streets Barbershop also caters to all kinds of hair textures. Where traditional barbershops would often only cater to a particular kind of hair, staff at the Streets Barbershop are adept at cutting caucasian hair, afro-textured hair, straight hair, and thick or unruly hair. Women and non-binary people are also encouraged and welcomed into the shop for shorter barber-style haircuts, or just for a coffee and a chat.
With 2022 the first year that the Streets Barbershop has entered the Geelong Business Excellence Awards, Nasir says it has been a hard journey but one the team is proud of.
“To be recognised among some amazing individuals and businesses throughout Geelong is pretty cool for everyone at the shop,” he says.
“We’re a collective group, so this is a really good way for them to be recognised for that, and I’m really grateful.”
Thanks to major sponsor LBW Business + Wealth advisors, the 2022 Geelong Business Excellence Awards celebrate clever, creative and connected businesses in Geelong and the Bellarine, as well as the Surf Coast, Queenscliff and Golden Plains regions.
The Geelong Business Excellence Awards presentation event will take place at GMHBA Stadium on Thursday, October 27 at 6pm.
Tickets to the awards night are available now at www.gbea.com.au.
