It’s April 2023 and Jerelle Okoro has just made headlines in the Manchester Evening News. Grabbing attention as “the celebrity barber doing haircuts for a fiver to help men in the cost of living crisis”, it reflects his own philosophy. Simply put, a great haircut can really make a world of difference, improving confidence and self-esteem, and in turn self-worth. One of the Northern Quarter’s beloved hairdressing institutions, as the Jefe’s website proudly instructs us: stop wasting money with mediocre trims. Instead, take yourself to Spear Street and get star treatment, sans inflated price tag.
Clearly incredibly passionate about what he does, Okoro — who just so happens to be a former-player, and star, for the Manchester Giants basketball team — established Jefe’s in 2022. And it’s certainly a 21st Century barber, offering online bookings and a choice of professional to upgrade your bonce. Prices for a first visit come with a 20% reduction in price, which shows how confident they are that customers will come back. Which brings us to the next innovation. Like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Substack and so many other parts of life, it’s possible to buy a subscription package for a flat monthly fee, starting at £25, which entitles students to two trims. Each therefore is just £12.50.
If you’re not studying expect to pay £35 for two basic cuts, £50 for three standard trims, and £60 for four trims. While the idea is clearly to attract regulars — which reflects Okoro’s view that barbers are as much about conversation and community as tidying up on top. And, although the focus is on advance bookings (online gets priority), as has been the case for time immemorial, walk-ins are also welcome. As for the results, a quick look at feedback on social media (Jefe’s has a strong Insta game) shows just how satisfied people are, and how many are now signed up for repeat trips.