Pool Hall cool meets salon chic at Lad Pad Barbers
Unwinding with a game of pool while waiting for a cut
A TRIP to an Australian barber shop was the inspiration behind Dylan Hand’s new Carlow town venture ‘The Lad Pad Barbers’.
Not quite a man-cave, the five-chair barber shop aims to be a space for men to come in, unwind and maybe even have a game of pool.
And the full-size pool table isn’t the only eye-catching feature in this modern shop; with lyrics and murals adorning the walls, Dylan wanted to create something different.
“The whole idea of the shop is that men are looking after themselves a lot more than they would have years ago. It’s not just about getting a haircut. It’s about a particular look, a particular barber, it’s about the style,” he told .
All local, The Lad Pad Barbers are Dylan, Thomas Brennan, Evan Ingram, Daryl Coleman and Craig Carroll, although you'll most likely hear them referred to by their nicknames.
All five are graduates of the Carlow Institute of Further Education barbering course and have a combined total of 32 years’ experience under their belts.
From mullets to mohawks, they’ve not only seen it all, but they cater for it all, too.
Now in its third week, the barber shop on Castle Hill has gotten off to a great start, with the online booking system keeping them busy.
Kids, walk-ins and beards are all welcome, too, and customers can enjoy a free hot towel with every cut.
Dylan says that he and the crew pride themselves on forging relationships with their clients.
“Our shop is a safe space for customers to come in, get a haircut, have a chat about anything, whether it’s a problem they’re going through, or plans for the week. Someone can come in and when they leave be two different people in terms of how they look and how they feel,” he said.
