Sebastopol's new cut, fade, shave fave

Barber's Garage offers a new alternative for men's grooming

Barber Jose Alvarez, owner of Barber’s Garage, at work on a customer. (Photo by Albert Levine)

If you strolled down Main Street recently and glanced at the storefronts, at one you may have noticed a tire hanging in the window with a little plant growing inside.

Welcome to Barber’s Garage, Sebastopol’s new local barbershop.

Jose Alvarez, 32, recently opened the shop here in Sebastopol after working for over 10 years at his first Barber’s Garage location in Rohnert Park. Alvarez grew up in Vallejo and moved to Petaluma when he was 16.

In Vallejo, he went to barber school, where after a while, he and a few friends from the college went to work at a barber shop in Rohnert Park.

“After a while, it wasn’t really [the previous owner's] setting anymore, so she ended up putting the shop up for sale, which at the time—I was 21 and I had saved plenty—I was able to purchase the shop from her, and I already had a bunch of my buddies from barber school working, so it was an easy transition,” Alvarez said.

“When I took over, I was actually the youngest barber in the shop, and that didn’t sit well with some of the guys. But, it was fine. It worked out good. That was one of the challenges…not necessarily proving anything to anybody, but to myself,” Alvarez said.

When Alvarez first started working at the Rohnert Park location, before he took ownership, the shop only had three chairs.

“I did switch some things around, and upgraded all the stations,” he said.

Alvarez even painted the floors of the shop himself and would often travel around town looking for unique art pieces or decor for the “garage.”

“As a barber, we all started in the garage. We started cutting our dad's hair, our buddies’ hair—that’s why I stuck with [the garage theme]. I liked the idea of it and what it represented,” he said.

According to the shop’s website, “We take pride in our multicultural team of skilled barbers, each bringing their expertise and diverse backgrounds to provide exceptional service. The shop handles all hair types and styles, from timeless, traditional cuts to the latest modern trends. Additionally, our barbers offer a variety of specialized services, including Bigen hair enhancements and braiding…Our clientele ranges from toddlers to seniors, creating a vibrant and inclusive community.”

An example of some of the hair handiwork at Barber’s Garage. (From Barber’s Garage Facebook page)

Alvarez said that, at 16, he would’ve never imagined himself where he is right now—in West County, owning his own business.

“Man, I was raised in chaos. I was in—I wouldn’t say a bad home—but it was a broken home...parents split,” he said. “We ended up in Petaluma from Vallejo and, at the time, I had no idea where I was gonna end up, but I was blessed to come to Sonoma County to a better environment.”

“Being in an environment like Solano County [and the] Vallejo area, growing up was pretty chaotic. The community is great, but there are a lot of hardships that go on in that community. I had no idea I was gonna end up in West County.”

Despite some hardships, Alvarez said he always had an idea of what he wanted to do.

“I tried cutting my buddy’s hair at that time, and I knew what I liked—I just didn't know what I would do with it, especially when you don't have guidance as a young man,” he said. “[I was] blessed to come to Sonoma County, where the schools actually cared, and got me up to par and into therapy, counseling, all the good stuff,” he said.

Alvarez said that this set his mind straight and gave him a clear picture of the things that he wanted in life.

“Just being in Sebastopol has made me fall in love with West County,” he said, “The green trees, the rolling vineyards, they’re just, beautiful. I’ve never been in an area nicer than this, and like I said, the people are just so open-minded and welcoming.”

Alvarez often visits the local parks with his children, who go to school in Sebastopol.

“I know I have to earn people’s trust and show people what I’m about, and I have no problem doing it,” he said. “But the reason why I chose West County was just—being raised in chaos and coming to this is just mind-blowing—how calm and beautiful an area could be, and how much sense of community there is here, and how people are caring for one another. Just a simple fact,” he said.

Learn more about Barber’s Garage and make an appointment here.

Jose Alvarez and his children in front of his new barbershop in Sebastopol. (Photo from the Barber’s Garage Facebook page)