One of the Bearded Barbers cleans up a client’s beard after a hair cut. The shop attracts a variety of customers including university athletes. Sarah Hess/The Lion’s Roar

The Bearded Barber’s owner Matthew Alston brings traditional shaves to Hammond. 

Alston began his venture in the barber industry with two close friends and an apprentice, offering hot shaves, straight razors and any type of haircuts to their clients. 

Alston started off his career at the trade school in Hammond. Then he went on to work in Metairie for a short period of time until coming back to Hammond to work at Andy’s Barber Shop. After learning from hands-on work at shops, Alston began plans to create his own traditional barber shop. However, becoming a barber and business owner was something Alston never planned until a car accident changed his life.

“I was a drug addict for years and got into a car accident in 2004,” said Alston. “My buddy was a barber, and about the same time, I was working in construction. I shattered my hip and couldn’t do that anymore, so he asked me to become a barber. I told him, ‘Man, I ain’t doing that. That’s not what I want to do.’”

Being unable to return to construction due to the amount of physical labor, Alston decided to become a certified barber and met his future wife. 

“About the same time, I met my wife,” said Alston. “Between her and Jesus Christ, I got cleaned up and got a business, all from a tree at 105 miles an hour.”

Alston credits his new lease on life to her and his reconnection with his religion. 

“If it wasn’t for God putting that tree in front of my truck at the right time in my life we’d never be here today,” said Alston. “God gave me a second chance and my wife. He allowed me to find something that I was very talented at. That is what gave me a second chance at life.” 

Since turning his life around and finding his passion in the barber industry, Alston knew he would want to own his own business. 

“From the beginning, I’ve always wanted my own barber shop. So, of course, when the time came, I left, and we started this about 13 weeks ago. I walked into the door, it was four walls and a floor that had about 15 pieces of different types of flooring in it. We just ordered chairs, and we went from there.” 

The shop’s opening day saw 90 walk-ins, and business has continuously progressed. Some of the university’s athletes from track and field and the baseball team go get shaves from Alston and his team. With a variety of clientele from all age ranges, the barbers pride themselves on creating a safe, respectable atmosphere for all members of the family. Hannah Jackson brings her son Parker to The Bearded Barber to have a man’s haircut by men. 

“He usually goes to my girl, and so I thought he was probably about the age to bring him to a guy,” said Jackson. “You know, maybe they have a little more skill doing the guy hair. To see some men working instead of, you know, a girl salon with all girls. I thought, ‘He’s almost four. We’ll bring him to a real man’s shop.”’

Their clients come for the atmosphere and quick quality work. Project Manager for Johnson Drywall Solutions Andy Thomas enjoys the quality of cuts he gets for such a low price. 

“I think everybody here does a great job, and it’s reasonably priced,” said Thomas. “You can get in and get out relatively quickly. It’s convenient and good quality.” 

The Bearded Barber has been marketed as a traditional barber shop. Alston explained what makes a barber shop traditional.

 “Your traditional barber shop is the place you go to get the town information, the hot towels, the talcum powder, the straight razor shave on the neck after the haircut to finish the haircut off,” said Alston. “A lot of places have gotten away from that, just your traditional hometown shop where everybody knows your name and feels like you’re at home. You walk in, and your kids go straight to the bubble gum machine or the refrigerator like they were at their own home. Everybody knows everybody kind of place.”

With 13 other barber shops in the area, Alston explained what sets The Bearded Barber apart. 

 “I think just the atmosphere that we offer,” said Alston. “The fact that we sell products and we still do straight razor shaves. A lot of the barber shops don’t do that, if any, that still use a straight razor. The atmosphere is different from your older, traditional barber shops. Most of the barber shops left in town now are just guys that have been in business over 30 to 40 years and have that general outlook of the barber industry. We do things a little more trendier, new style haircuts, to not just your basic barbering style haircut anymore.”