Derby the Barber Shop seizes ‘amazing opportunity’ to move to New Milford
NEW MILFORD – After nearly a decade of cutting hair in Newtown, Christopher Derby is returning to his New Milford roots to set up his own barber shop.
“It’s pretty much like me coming home because New Milford has always been a second home to me,” Derby said.
Derby plans to open his barber shop at 56 Railroad St. at the former site of Jimmy’s Barber Shop. He bought the shop from Kym Wilbur, who closed the shop earlier this year after more than 20 years in business.
Derby said he and Wilbur had previously been in touch about the New Milford site and said she “felt I was a good fit” for the shop when she decided to retire.
For the last few years, Derby the Barber Shop has been operating out of Hero Barber, located at 97 S. Main St. in Newtown.
The decision to open his own shop was “an act of progression” from working as an employee at Hero Barber to starting his own business and taking an opportunity to buy the real estate in New Milford. Derby said.
In his new place, Derby said he plans to open a four-chair shop and rent out three of the chairs to give others an opportunity to have their own barbering businesses. He tentatively hopes to open early in the new year, he said, if everything goes according to plan.
Derby said he also hopes to be a mentor for new barbers. He said he plans to continue his relationship with the owner of Hero Barber, which has a barbering school with students who may be looking to have their own business.
The site ideal, Derby said, in “a very busy, historical downtown New Milford area with a lot of foot traffic.”
“It can be an opportunity for people,” he said. “If they want to have their own business and cut hair, there’s a lot of opportunity in the downtown – it’s been revitalized.”
The Corporation for New Milford Economic Development and the Board of Directors approved a Façade Improvement Grant totaling $2,226 for Derby the Barber Shop. The grant will be used to paint the shop’s exterior and install signs for the new business at 56 Railroad St.
The grant was a huge help in getting started as a small business owner, he said.
“It was a really amazing opportunity for me,” he said. “Word really got out, and people are getting excited.”
Originally from Sherman, Derby attended school in New Milford. He was trained at TONI&GUY Hairdressing Academy (formerly known as Ricky’s), which he described as “very classically trained European with a twist.”
The training was “very high level” with many different techniques applied to barbering, Derby said.
Derby said he also trained at Hero Barber in Newtown, where he worked for the last eight years. Like many businesses, Hero Barber changed its business model as a result of COVID-19 and began offering booth rentals, which Derby said enabled him to start his own business.
Online booking is available at Derby the Barber’s website at www.derbythebarber.com.