#MYCITY | The Blockhouse Nashville

Welcome to Nashville, TN. Founding member, Matt Fine, tells us about The Blockhouse & what's going down in his city.

How The Blockhouse got started: Two years ago, three friends sat around a table and discussed their desire to have a masculine place to hang out, grab a drink and get a haircut. The Blockhouse Founders, wanted to create a place any man can feel welcome. “The Blockhouse design is everything that a man finds comfortable: Concrete, wood, leather, steel. We’re utilizing things that feel manly in every aspect of our concept,” explains Founder Jerrod Brown. “We wanted to build a place where men can go and feel comfortable while getting their hair cut.” The Blockhouse name was inspired by days of old. “A Blockhouse was a one room fort on the edge of a wilderness, that offered a safe haven for travelers during their cross country journeys” says Founder Tom Hockensmith. “We want to offer men a cool place to hang. We want guys to find relaxation and rest in our building prior to going back out on their journey.” “Men’s hair cutting has been my passion for decades”, says Founder Matt Fine. “As a current salon owner, I’ve seen some men be reluctant to come into the salon. I’ve always felt men would feel more comfortable in a barber chair with a whiskey in hand instead of between two women getting a full highlight.” Fine continues, “I feel the unique environment we are creating with The Blockhouse will offer an experience men have been craving.” We want to honor the tradition of the old school barber shop, while offering modern styling and a place any man can be himself.” The Blockhouse location: The Blockhouse is located at the May Hosiery Campus in the Wedgewood Houston Area of south Nashville at 516 Houston Street. The Blockhouse crew: Blockhouse Managers: Jerrod Brown, Tom Hockensmith Blockhouse Technicians: Matt Fine, Trey Graf, Dallas McClaird, Curtis Wackler, Koby Bullard, and Kelley Francour The barbering community in Nashville: The hair industry tends to stay to itself. We’d hope to foster an environment where we can grow closer with other local shops. We aim to hold education classes open to barbers and hairdressers in the Nashville area. Our take: there’s plenty of heads to cut out there. Let’s learn from each other, perfect our craft and keep Nashville looking more handsome. Current hair trends in south Nashville: The trend over the past few years has been a low to mid taper clean cut look on the sides with a classic top. I personally like to add mass amounts of texture to the top for versatility. This allows a structured, ultra slick look or can be transformed to a messy textured look. All without sacrificing that classic shape. Local favorites in Nashville: We spent many late nights working hard to finish our shop. After the late nights of pouring our concrete counter tops and running trim, we’d head to Bastion for a night cap and a mean plate of pulled pork Nachos. When it’s during the day, you can find us at Peg Leg Porker or Claussan’s Deli for lunch! If you’re coming to Nashville to visit, make sure and check out Corsair Distillery and the Johnny Cash Museum. If you’re a barber junkie, you can take a haul to the Andies Clipper Factory in Cookville! What to look for in quality barber products: I always look for longevity with my product selection. It might look great after you style, but will it looks as great at the end of the work day? You want something that will give you hold and support but still be touchable. Also, in the south, you have to think about the weather. Will the product hold up through the heat of the summer sun or high humidity levels? Imperial Barber Products have a wide range of products that will hold up and keep your style all day. Top Imperial Barber Products picks: Our top moving Imperial Barber Products are – Matte Pomade – The Matte Finish might be the favorite. It’s matte finish is always crazy versatility. You can slick hair back with it or enhance texture put inside the top shape. Classic Pomade – I love the control and hold. It’s also touchable through a hard work day. 3 in 1 Shampoo – The scent is crisp and easy to love. For guys who are busy, the 3 in 1 option is a no brainer. Find The Blockhouse on Instagram @blockhousenashville + blockhousenashville.com Photos by Daniel C White