It all started at a braai with friends when Jorge Fernandes, the founder, decided he was done with the corporate world and wanted a business where he could work in shorts every day. And just like that, the dream began. Three months later, DownTown Barbers on Bree Street was born.

On March 1, 2019, we opened our doors to an industry unknown to us, much to the surprise and annoyance of our competitors who couldn’t believe two non-barbers were opening a barber shop. How hard could it be, right? Well, years later, we are still learning and growing.

On March 1, 2020, Moustache Barber Shop launched in Camps Bay. Little did we know that 23 days later, the dreaded COVID-19 lockdown would hit South Africa, forcing us to close our doors for eight months. After a grueling period, we returned to find Cape Town nearly deserted, with restaurants and beaches closed and people still very much in fear of the virus. Despite the challenges, we persevered but had to close DownTown Barbers on Bree Street, as we couldn't survive on just 12 clients a month. Camps Bay faced its own challenges with no clientele due to ongoing closures. It was disheartening to come to work and see no one for days, but we weren’t ready to throw in the towel. Jorge’s corporate background helped him think of new ideas to keep the doors open.

With few shops open in Camps Bay, our landlord offered us a spot to open a ladies' hair salon. Despite knowing nothing about running a salon and with a limited budget, we opened Camps Bay Haute Coiffure during the most trying times. With nothing left to lose, we embraced this new learning curve. In August 2020, Camps Bay Haute Coiffure was born. Despite the uphill battle of attracting clients, we persevered.

Shortly after, an opportunity arose to open a second shop at Virgin Active Collection. Although we were in over our heads, we jumped right in. Fast forward two years and a million challenges later, we won the Kfm Best of the Cape Awards for Best Barber in 2022, 2023 & 2024.

We were thrilled to know our clients supported us in this win. The following year, we won the award for the second consecutive year, and we are still buzzing.

So, who are we? We are just a small family, with our 11-year-old son as our biggest fan, who decided to embark on a journey with no prior experience. So far, the ride has been amazing. When you support our business, you are supporting a family.