Amsterdam may seem a world away from Altrincham, but it was the narrow canal houses of Holland’s capital city that gave Rob Ryder the inspiration for his handsome new barber shop.
Bert & Bert – so called for the presence of a ‘Bert’ in both his first name and his girlfriend’s surname – opened on Oxford Road five weeks ago and allowed Ryder, 33, the chance to bring his unmistakable sense of style to Altrincham.
He moved to the town two years ago and immediately felt it would be “perfect” for his first business. He’s certainly learnt his craft – 15 years at the Men’s Room on King Street in Knutsford, as well as stints at Toni&Guy in Manchester and Joseph Elliott at the Midland Hotel.
“Altrincham’s on the up,” he says. “and I loved Oxford Road – it feels very London to me. It also helps that it’s two minutes’ walk from my house.”
Sheffield-born, Ryder has designed the stunning interior himself, sketching it out on old-school graph paper while his maths teacher girlfriend did the measurements.
The industrial-cum-rustic look is highly contemporary, but does also hark back to an age when barber shops were places where men paid a weekly and perhaps even daily visit for a haircut, beard trim and a general fat-chewing with friends.
The feel of a lost era is accentuated by the micro-brewery Ryder is installing in the cellar – all customers can take their pick from a drinks menu that includes coffee and beer, all included in the price – and Ryder’s impressively coiffed facial hair. There’s even talk of a tailor moving up from Knightsbridge to take the first floor space – something he sees as completely complementary to his services – while a back room houses a sports massage facility with plans to offer a Thai relaxation massage too.
“Gents can come in and have their hot towel shave, beard trim, haircut and a massage to go with it,” he says, “and even a beer that’s made beneath their feet!”
But it’s the attention to detail that is most immediately striking about Bert & Bert. Everything from the choice of reading material to the bespoke bike in the window has evidently been cogitated over.
A bike to me is furniture, it doesn’t need to be something you leave in your garage
Ryder says he owes his eye for design to his many trips to Amsterdam, “my second home”. “I love their design,” he says. “This shop’s narrowness and the way it goes so far back reminded me of their canal houses, which a lot of their restaurants and bars are in. I love their use of space and took a look of design influences from there.
“Take the bike in the window – a bike to me is furniture, it doesn’t need to be something you leave in your garage. I think they’re beautiful things, likewise with the scooter.”
Ryder has bought the building itself and the fitout cost £70,000, so he’s clearly here to stay. Around 70% of his Knutsford customers have moved with him, and he professes himself “more than happy” with trade so far, to the extent he is recruiting an assistant. “Eventually my idea within 18 months is to get all four chairs working at full capacity and opening seven days a week instead of six.”
With a concept and brand as fully formed as this, there’s a feeling Bert & Bert might just outgrow Oxford Road before very long. After a period of just enjoying his new shop, he has an ambition to roll out the brand and perhaps move into product development.
Wherever it takes him, Ryder has an obvious passion for his craft. “There’s a big difference between a barber and a hairdresser,” he insists. “There’s no margin for error with guys’ haircuts, everything has to be bang on. I like that.”
Below: Bert & Bert, on Oxford Road, and owner Rob Ryder
