Ground Floor: Business offers twist on the traditional corner barbershop

For decades, the corner barbershop was the place for men to socialize while getting a haircut and a shave.

Chris Krause is bringing back that old-fashioned experience to Cedar Rapids, but with a modern twist.

Krause is the owner of The Men's Room Hair and Beard Parlor, which opened last fall on the border of downtown and the Wellington Heights neighborhood.

The barbershop specializes in haircuts for men and boys. A $20 haircut for men includes facial hair trimming or a shave. Walk-in customers are welcome; while they are waiting for a chair to open, they can play a game of pool on a table in the center of the shop or, on 'Free Beer Friday,” partake in a cold one from the cooler.

'Those are things that set us apart from the others,” Krause said.

Krause said another unique aspect of his barbershop is the business model. The nine - soon to be 10 - barbers at The Men's Room work for themselves, paying a small weekly rental fee to cover business costs and otherwise keeping 100 percent of their earnings.

'It's the type of arrangement I think that allows them to spend more time with their clients, which of course ends up resulting in a better service and overall experience,” Krause said. 'And with so much competition in this industry, the only way we've continued to do so well is by offering a second-to-none service.”

Krause started cutting his and his friends' hair during college. While taking a semester off from school, he looked into the barbering program at the American College of Hairstyling and never trailed.

Krause opened his first barbershop in downtown Cedar Rapids in 2008. Three months later, he lost everything in the flood. He opened a second shop on Ellis Boulevard a year or so later and sold that shop two years ago after the birth of his second child, continuing to work part time for the new owner.

Krause said 75 percent of his decision to open his new shop last year was based upon the location.

'I love being on the edge of downtown and being able to contribute to a neighborhood that sometimes gets a bad rap,” he said. 'We are doing our part to make the area better.”

Krause aims for a multicultural experience at The Men's Room. The nine barbers working there are an equal split of Caucasians, African Americans, and Hispanics.

The clientele also is diverse in terms of race and age. Krause said the shop even gets a few female customers.

'We're very proud of the way our barbershop has brought so many different people together in the community who may not have crossed paths otherwise,” he said. 'That's maybe the most gratifying aspect of the work we're doing here.”

' Know a company or manager who has been in business for less than a year that would be ideal for 'Ground Floor”? Contact Francie Williamson at francie.williamson@thegazette.com

At a Glance

' Owner: Chris Krause

' Business: The Men's Room Hair and Beard Parlor

' Address: 1052 Mount Vernon Road SE, Cedar Rapids

' Telephone: (319) 200-7777

' Facebook: goo.gl/xYX3v1