Laid back man-magnet barber shop opens in Aledo

Michael Thompson puts finishing touches on Garrett Pace of Tesajo Properties, Aledo. Bearded Beast is an uber-casual barber shop across from Bryant …

Sometimes inspiration comes at surprising moments. Like the time Kandy and Michael Thompson were having lunch and Kandy blurted out, “Let’s open a barber shop!”

The idea wasn’t as bizarre as it may seem, but was still a surprise to Michael.

Kandy operated a beauty shop in Aledo for years before moving her shop to York Avenue in Weatherford to be closer to their Brock home. Michael, with a background in physical therapy, operated a successful gym.

The couple noticed men accompanying their wives meandering in and out of women’s boutique shops north of the Courthouse and Kandy thought the guys needed an appealing place to hang out while the women shop.

The idea birthed the laid-back, male oriented atmosphere of Bearded Beast Barber Shops in Weatherford, Millsap, and now in Aledo on Pecan Street, across from Bryant Grain.

The family purchased a building used by Aledo Fire Department two decades ago and briefly by others before going vacant for years. Kandy operates a spacious salon upstairs by appointment only.

“Have a drink, handsome,” a plaque on the wall reads. Or you can grab a soda or beer, get a haircut, have an expert beard trim or shave, or just chat. One may think shaving is something to be handled by oneself, but you won’t get Michael’s exclusive handcrafted shaving cream with organic cocoa butters and soothing essential oils for your euphoric face.

Kandy and Garrett Thompson own barber shops in Weatherford and Millsap, each with the same laid back atmosphere as the new Aledo location.

There are no dead animal heads decorating the walls of this coiffeur man cave, but there is an attractive collection of guitars you are welcome to take down and strum a tune on.

Having guitars close at hand is also convenient for Michael to work on this week’s service as the music worship leader at Grace Meadows Church in Weatherford.

“I have had people see the guitars through the window and drop in thinking this is a music shop,” Michael said while swaying in a barber chair. “They usually end up getting a haircut anyway.”

The casual atmosphere is contagious and part of the attraction to the shop.

“I want you to have an experience here. I want you to feel better about your day when you leave,” Michael said. “That is the vibe we want with all of our shops. We try to be very family oriented.”

Ashlyn Weaver concurs with the “family” comparison. Weaver, a friend of the Thompsons, was hired as public relations manager for the shops because of her experience as event director for the City of Graham.

“They treat me like everyone else, like family,” Weaver said, describing problems from recent freezing temperatures. When many households lost power, the Thompsons offered their home to her and others. “There are always people coming and going at their house. That’s just the way they are.”