Saving Face Barbershop celebrates grand opening
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. >> The Spa City has a brand new barbershop with the expansion of a Syracuse area-based business.
When barber Jeremiah Cregan moved to Saratoga County he wanted to open a barbershop that would be just like the one he loved working at in his hometown.
So, he called up Saving Face Barbershop owner Anthony Nappa and proposed expanding the company to Eastern New York.
Not long after, Saving Face Barbershop secured the site of its third location, in Suite 5 of the plaza at 68 West Ave. in Saratoga Springs.
Saving Face Barbershop’s new Saratoga Spring location recently celebrated its grand opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony and a full day of free haircuts. Additionally, all tips were donated to Saratoga Bridges, raising $900 for the local nonprofit.
In addition to this expansion, 2019 marks the 10th anniversary of when Saving Face Barbershop was originally founded.
Though the business started in Syracuse, each location is focused on its local community. The new Saratoga Springs shop features horse-themed decor and historical photographs that highlight the city’s past. “A big part of our business model is being focused on the community,” Cregan said, mentioning the shop’s student, military and emergency responder discounts. Saratoga Springs residents also get exclusive deals through the shop’s Be Local program, including a free hot towel shave with any haircut.
The overall atmosphere at the new Saving Face Barbershop is about community as well. “I want everyone to come in here and feel comfortable and feel like it’s their shop,” Cregan said. “It’s the place they go to get away and relax, a place where they can come in and talk about their day, talk about the good things, bad things - all of it - and kind of get away from the outside world in general.”
Saving Face Barbershop is a place for all ages, Cregan said. “I want moms to feel comfortable coming in here with their kids, and dads coming in with their kids, being able to relax
and know that it’s a family friendly environment.” The shop even offers old fashioned arcade games for customers to play, along with complimentary coffee and water.
Operating a barbershop like this has been a longtime goal for Cregan, a master barber who has been with Saving Face Barbershop since 2014 and has been cutting hair for more than a decade. “It was always my dream to open up a barbershop, and open up multiple of them,” he said. “This is definitely the first installment of many.”
The ultimate goal is to grow the Saving Face Barbershop to have locations all across New York state, he continued, and have customers recognize the brand as a place to get a quality haircut.
“We train all of our barbers from the ground up, so everyone is well-trained and well-educated on all different aspects of hair,” he said, noting that the Saratoga Springs shop is currently training three apprentice barbers.
Looking ahead, Cregan said, “I’d like to grow the brand throughout all of Eastern New York and be able to train and develop as many new people as possible, to give them the same opportunity that I was given.”
Saving Face Barbershop is open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday.
The shop can be contacted by calling 518-4501217. Appointments can be made by phone or online, and walk-ins are welcome too. More information about Saving Face Barbershop is available online at www. saving facebarbershop. com.