Tattoo artist opens new barber’s shop inside gym
A TATTOO artist and businessman is opening his fourth barber’s shop at a Burton gym.
Jon Gardner, who also has haircutting businesses in Uttoxeter, Ashbourne and Barton under Needwood, has taken over the former hairdressers at Bannatynes in Wellington Road.
The new shop is the result of Mr Gardner starting to go back to the gym and getting to know the management. The 38-year-old said: “Last year I started training again at the gym and built up a relationship with the management.
“We got talking about the business and about the old hairdressers at the front of the gym.
“With a portion of people who go to the gym being men I thought it would be convenient for people, for them to go and get some exercise and then get their hair sorted afterwards – all in the same place.
“With life being as it is at the moment, it’s convenient for people to get it done at the same time.” Gardners Barber Shop was due to open on April 4 but the coronavirus pandemic put a stop to that after talks started last year about him taking it over the venue.
The business, which has two barb ers, Nick Fitzgerald and Tori Green, will be open until 7pm each night to allow men to get a trim after work. Mr Gardner said: “I’m excited and nervous at the same time about opening in the current climate.
“I’m always trying to strive and push the business forward but with the current situation I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous as well.
“At the moment we don’t know what’s going to happen and if we’ll have a second lockdown.
“The lockdown did have an effect on us as a whole as we had a lot of men getting cuts for a night out or special occasion and those things aren’t really happening.
“On the positive side of things I do feel that we’re starting a brand and we put out some quality products at all of our shops which help us shine.” Although not a barber himself, he moved into the business at his tattoo parlour in Uttoxeter.
The Burton barber’s is Covid-safe, and Tori will also be holding a ladies’ night on Tuesdays.
I am always trying to strive and push the business forward.
Jon Gardner