Chris Dehney

The Kings and Queens have found new thrones.

After being open on Maine Street for seven years, Kings and Queens Hair Studio closed at the start of October. The new salon, Barber Haus opened its doors on October 12, full-time, at Cook’s Corner.

The new salon is also looking at more offerings for more hair types than in the past, such as braiding services. The new building has more space to hold the equipment required for these additional services.

Barber Haus owner Tyler Taker hopes Bowdoin students, faculty and the Brunswick community see the salon as a space to get hair done, have fun and, most of all, connect with other members of the community.

“I’m really trying to make [the salon] more of a place to be able to just unwind. If you want to get your haircut, obviously, that’s what we’re there for,” Taker said. “But, I also want people to feel like it’s a community space that you can come to unwind.”

Barber Shawanna Glass said the salon will push new initiatives to focus on expanding business ties to the community and the College. Taker said this is his goal in Barber Haus because he wants to give back to the community at and near Cook’s Corner, where he grew up.

Looking towards the design plan for the new barber shop, Taker focuses on creating spaces for his customers to build social connections with other community members.

“Taker [has] the barber part going [while] the other half of the salon will be the waiting area. There’ll be a pool table, he’s going to put a little mini bar there, and here’ll be a big screen television,” Glass said.

Taker and barbers at Barber Haus are working on initiatives to boost their business further. For instance, a booking app that would allow clients to pick a specific barber they want and a website to make the salon more accessible to the public.

Taker emphasized how they want all members of the Brunswick community and people with all hair types to feel cared for in their hands.

“I know that it can be intimidating to some, going to a barber who might not even have the same type of ethnic hair, so you’re unsure whether or not they might carry that skill set,” Taker said. “But I can actually speak confidently that everyone that works for me knows how to cut ethnic hair.”

Taker explained how a goal of his was to have people who could work with all hair types in his salon.

“Now we have Charlotte and [Glass] who primarily specialize in ethnic hair and braids, twists and things like that,” Taker said. “And for me, that’s always been a goal of mine to be able to say that … I don’t have that ability, but I do have someone that can. So that’s really exciting for the place to be able to have a plethora of different skill sets available for people.”