Words provided by: Sasan Sayyar
Video produced by: Sasan Sayyar
For those of you who don't already know, there's a fairly new "barbershop" located inside the Sunvalley Mall in Concord, CA. The formal name is Empire Barber Lounge, and to call it a mere barbershop would be inappropriate. This is a classy and luxurious establishment, home to some of the Bay Area's finest barbers and their skills. Disguised as a barbershop in the mall, Empire Barber Lounge showcases the peak standard among the local barbering scene and is never not packed, boasting an average 2 hour wait for walk-in clients. The artists in here are specializing in tapers, fades, styles, shear work, you name it! From classic gentlemen's cuts to modern styles, Derek (Owner) and his Empire troop are versatile and can accommodate just about any hairstyle you can dream of. I strongly recommend you make it a priority to visit this shop if you're in the area and get yourself a nice haircut, kid.
Back when I would get cut by my comrade Austin, at VIP Barbershop, I'd see Derek a couple chairs down perfecting each and every one of his cuts. Austin let me in on the lil' secret about a new shop in the works, and after that I was anxiously waiting. Seeing Derek branch off from where he was previously at, and open up his own barbershop and be extremely successful in doing so... to say it's inspiring would be a severe understatement. I could just imagine the countless hours that were spent dreaming & planning this shop, and the dedication is absolutely undeniable. The moment you step in Empire you can clearly see that hard work was used in surplus while putting this place together. Anyways! Before I keep writing in excess, let me just say thank you to Derek and the rest of the crew for always 1) keeping my appearance presentable and 2) always allowing me to come in and spend some time with my camera. From shooting photos at the grand opening to the latest, this little video clip I put together of Derek himself performing on Mr. Chavez. Any feedback you can provide would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers,
Sasan