More detail and an update:

Chesterbrook barbershop was an ORIGINAL TENANT of the Chesterbrook Shopping Center when it opened in 1967. The founder hired a Vietnamese immigrant as a stylist, taught her english, and eventually handed the business to her when he retired. She continued to build the business and now has 5 stylists.

They are a disappearing model -- a family business that doesn't seek to get rich or sell to private equity. They live a modest life, pay their bills, serve their community, try to keep prices low, and had plans to run the business at least until they were all eligible for Social Security and Medicare.

Most of their business is haircuts for men, children, and retirees. They serve vans full of seniors from the nearby retirement home. During the pandemic, they masked up, stayed open, and survived.

Late last year, Chesterbrook Shopping Center leased their space to another barbershop, The Bearded Goat, that charges more than double their prices. Chesterbrook Barbershop was not notified and found out about this from one of their customers who showed them the filing!

When the owner reached out to the landlord, they confirmed that they had indeed made plans to kick them out, effective April 30. They thanked them for their 59 years as a tenant but cited 2 reasons: The Bearded Goat is more upscale, and The Bearded Goat delivers more than double the sales per square foot, so the shopping center felt they could charge a much higher rent.

They wished them luck in finding a new location, but told them that they couldn't call themselves Chesterbrook Barbershop anymore!

The owners are not sophisticated business people. I told them that was bullshit -- that they definitely did not have to give up the name.

UPDATE: There is a store called TennisTopia in the little Chesterbrook Plaza strip, next to the Excel Service Station on Old Dominion. They are planning to shrink that store and sublease 1/2 the space to Chesterbrook Barbershop. There is some risk and pressure to build the new wall and meet the end-of-April deadline, but that will be their new location. When they move, they plan to open 7 days a week (instead of six) because that's the only way they think they'll be able to afford the new rent. They remain committed to low prices.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Disappointed to hear today that this long term business located on Old Dominion in Mclean has been told their lease would not be renewed.
They have paid their bills on time and have been a part of this shopping center for 60 years. They were told they are not high end enough for new shopping owners preference. Clearly owner clueless that people in this neighborhood are loyal and do not like good businesses run by immigrants to being pushed out. I am shocked and disappointed. I hate to go political but again this is a business run by first gen folks and it just doesn’t seem right.

I doubt they were told this was the reason.

They were definitely told that this was the reason. Peggy (the owner) showed me the correspondence she received from the landlord. They leased the space to a regional barbershop chain that averages more than double the retail revenue per square foot. They want the higher dollar volume store so they can charge a higher rent.

This is the last straw! I’m moving out of the country. Anybody have Rosie O’Donnell’s email address?

Anonymous wrote:I know where this shop is, but have never used it. I am honestly very pleased that the new landlords are revitalizing the shopping center. It has been a pretty lackluster place for a long time. I am excited about the new businesses, and use the shopping center much more now.

+1. I hope someone acquires the dump across the street where the Persian restaurant is located next. I'd love to see the vape shop pushed out.