Our Manifesto and Rant

Following more than thirty years of decline, men’s only barbering and grooming services are making a comeback, a comeback that is not only long overdue, but one that is being received, welcomed and embraced by the clientele it serves. A funny thing happened on the way to the beauty salon. Metrosexual men decided that enough was enough – and the retrosexual man emerged, facial bristle and biceps intact. Retrosexual males are not interested in plucking their eyebrows, trips to the salon, or men’s cosmetic products; they are the classically average no fuss types, proud of their football jerseys and jeans and they represent the majority of the male population.

Open just one month in Tanasbourne, Chopperz – The NON-Salon is revolutionizing the hair salon industry. Built for guys, a bastion of retrosexual testosterone, Chopperz – The NON Salon is a men’s place, doling out the best in men’s services including haircuts, straight razor shaves and massages. No “wussy” services here – the service menu is short and simple. But it’s what ‘s not on the menu that has Portland’s “retrosexual” males flocking to Hillsboro. Chopperz – The NON Salon is a men’s grooming lounge, yes, lounge! Focusing on the “customer experience,” Chopperz – The NON Salon is the only non-bar in the world to have NTN interactive T.V. Old school steam towels and straight razors meet New Jack here – hi definition plasma TV’s , Wi-Fi, video games and digital video round out the experience. And, how about a beer? Chopperz – The NON Salon has two on tap!

A “third” place for men, Chopperz – The NON Salon is one local 32 year-old entrepreneur’s response to the “retrosexuals” males’ need to put distance between themselves and traditional hair salons. Owner Marco Sison had an idea that men were looking for a place that they could congregate, relax and decompress for a bit. Marco found his niche in the evolution of the hair salon to just such a place for men. “We call ourselves a grooming lounge because we encourage our guests to hang out whether or not they are getting a service and we provide them with an environment that encourages them. Not only do we have darts and video games that they can play, beer to drink and TV’s to watch – we take it a step further. We have digital video recorders that record all of the most popular shows, so, if they have missed their favorite show because they were working, they can watch what they missed while they are getting a shave and a haircut.”

In nearly every consumer industry, the trend has been toward the “customer experience.” Choppers – The NON Salon takes two cornerstones of male culture, the lounge and the hair salon, and finally puts them together for the ultimate male experience. Sison says, “It is all about giving guys a place, where they feel comfortable being unapologetically “male” – a haven where guys can be guys!”