Brass Tacks is a new barbershop in the heart of the Bishop Arts District that people actually enjoy waiting in. Grab a stool or relax in one of the ridiculously comfortable chairs, have a hot or cold beverage and watch a fun ’90s film on the TV, something like Desperado or Batman Returns that you remember watching as a kid with your dad or grandfather, but hadn’t thought about in years. With its gorgeous vintage chairs, dark wood finish and Art Deco sinks, the barber shop is its own little work of art.
But on the right day, Brass Tacks transforms from simply a stylish barbershop into something far more unusual — say, a concert venue, as it did recently when Leon Bridges did an in-store performance. It’s all part of the unique vision of owner Brandon White.
“I really wanted to be a tattoo artist,” White explains. “But I wasn’t that good at drawing.” His mother worked as a stylist and he recalls kitchen sessions from his youth where he and his three brothers lined up for haircuts. White learned from watching and started cutting his own hair. “I remember buying a clipper set from Wal-Mart for 10 bucks,” he says, with a laugh. The next thing he knew he was giving his brothers haircuts and then his friends.