Del Mar: V’s Barbershop offers quality service with a community feel

By Kelley Carlson
Contributor

It seems as if the new V’s Barbershop in Del Mar has created some buzz.

“We’ve had great traffic and growth, and we’re finding that a vast majority of our customers like calling in advance and making appointments,” owner Scott McDaniel said. “We’ve had quite a few ‘sold-out’ days already. We’re also exploring the possibility of online booking in the future. Our business has grown month over month, and we’re proud to say we’re over 50 percent repeat business on a daily basis. People really enjoy their experience; they come back as regulars and are telling their friends.”

Open since the end of March, the V’s location at 2683 Via de la Valle, Suite H, in the Del Mar zip code area just east of I-5, is the first in San Diego County. The chain has 14 locations throughout the country, with a 15th expected to open soon in Joplin, Mo.

McDaniel said that “luckily” for his customers, he does not get “behind the chair and perform any of the actual services.” His background is mostly in the video game industry, having spent more than 19 years in sales, marketing and management roles at software companies such as Extent Technologies and Sony Online Entertainment. The L.A. native has a degree in business management from Pepperdine University, and moved to Del Mar in 2000.

In 2002, McDaniel was vacationing in Phoenix when some friends of his took him to V’s Barbershop for “The Works” (shave, haircut, shampoo and conditioner).

“I fell in love with the service, the style and the locals/community feel of the place,” he said. “The conversations were engaging, the place had a really masculine feel, and the service was great. It wasn’t just the haircut — my wife liked that — but the whole experience that really sold me. Up till then, I was your typical midcareer man who viewed getting a haircut as a chore — kind of like going to the dentist,” he said with a smile in an e-mail.

“Once I experienced a truly enjoyable barbershop, I was hooked,” he added. “So I searched and searched — and unfortunately (or fortunately) could not find a quality place/experience anywhere locally. My business mind kicked in, and I knew that opening a V’s (franchise) here would be a great thing, both for the local residents and the local community.”

As the owner of V’s in Del Mar, McDaniel focuses on customer service, business development and sweeping the floor. There are five barbers on staff — male and female — and several have both barber and cosmetology backgrounds.

“We try to make sure every customer is perfectly matched with the right barber,” McDaniel said.

V’s Barbershop’s signature services include haircuts and styles, shaves and facial massages. The first five minutes a customer spends with the barber involves a consultation, discussing styles, so the barber can give the client exactly what he wants.

“The haircuts here are what really show our commitment to service — they take typically 30 minutes and everyone includes a hot-lather neck shave and hot towel shoulder massage,” McDaniel said. “It really is relaxing, plus you look great afterward.”

The most popular package is “The Works,” which includes a haircut, shampoo/conditioner treatment and a hot towel, hot-lather shave. It takes about an hour, he said.

The shaves at V’s are a 21-step process that involves five hot towels, multiple applications of crémes and skin conditioners, then applying hot lather and a “sure hand” with the straight razor (two separate passes) to get a smooth finish, McDaniel said. A skin moisturizer, conditioner and cold towel are applied at the end.

“All of our services have a ‘little something extra’ that makes the overall V’s experience just that … an ‘experience,’ ” McDaniel said. “We’re not a quick cut ‘chop shop’ or a ‘salon’ or a ‘unisex, all for one’ place, we’re an old-school barbershop with great traditional services in a progressive, masculine environment.”

Haircuts cost $25 and shaves are priced at $30; packages run from $55 to $80. Discounts are offered to fathers/sons/grandfathers who get a haircut together.

Hours are from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays. Appointments are recommended, but walk-ins are welcome, as well. McDaniel indicated that mornings are usually less busy than the afternoons.

For more information or to make an appointment, call (858) 481-4321. V’s Barbershop is also online at http://vbarbershop.com/locations/del-mar.

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