Scissors & Scotch Barbershop Will Debut Its First Atlanta Franchise in the Heart of Midtown

Chris Echols first stepped into a Scissors & Scotch barbershop while visiting a friend in Denver. The shop had traditional barbering, modern spa services, and a full service bar. Echols loved this barbershop experience, but upon his return to Georgia, there was no franchise to be found. Months later, co-founder and managing director Erik Anderson reached out to Echols on LinkedIn, . Echols — who has a background in finance, operations, and account management — was immediately interested.

Afterwards, Echols did his due diligence by revisiting Denver and traveling to other locations in Washington D.C. and Dallas — he was blown away. One customer traveled a half-hour just to get a haircut at Scissors & Scotch because he enjoyed the experience so much. That’s when Echols, a 30-year Atlanta resident, decided Georgia would be a great market for this concept.

Now, Echols will be opening his own franchise on the ground floor of the Osprey apartment building in the heart of Midtown Atlanta, as confirmed by Scissors & Scotch. The roughly 1,800 square-foot space will have a “man cave vibe to it,” with a lounge area, leather seating, a high-quality bar, and dark woods, Echols told What Now Atlanta.

“It’s a place where you want to come in, relax, and maybe watch the game on a TV screen, or talk with friends” he said. “It’s a destination spot. You have home, you have work. This is the kind of place that can be your third home.”

To create the design, the franchise is working with Tricarico Architecture and Design. On Monday, the business filed a building permit with the City of Atlanta. He is aiming to begin construction in late May or early June, and open in mid-September. Currently, they are accepting construction bids. Hiring will begin in July; training, late August.

The shop will be modeled after an old-fashioned barbershop, though less traditional, with a combination of barbers and stylists — and, of course, scotch, liquor, cocktails, wine, and beer on tap. Guests will enjoy a full service experience with a haircut, style, hair wash, and hot towel treatment.

“It’s part old-school barbershop, part neighborhood pub,” said Echols. “I like that [Scissors & Scotch’s] goal is to develop a better haircut experience for guys. Getting a haircut doesn’t have to be a chore. It can be an enjoying, relaxing experience.”

Echols has chosen to place the shop in a live-work play area, so that anyone can pop inside and hang out, even if they don’t want hair services. Scissors & Scotch will neighbor a Snooze and Orangetheory Fitness on the ground floor of the Osprey building. He also plans to open more franchises in the future, though he did not say exactly when.