When Rudy’s Barbershop opens a new location, Marshall Ryan has the job of designing a shop that keeps with Rudy’s punk vibe while accentuating its new neighborhood. On 15th Ave E, that means a store that’s a little more grown up than its E Pine counterpart.
“Overall, the materials palette at this store will feel more mature: brass fixturing, dark wood, black powder-coated steel, matte gray tile,” Ryan told CHS.
Many of those materials were installed over the last few days as the build out of the space continued at a frantic pace toward the planned June 1st opening. CHS told you about Rudy’s expansion to 15th and Republican in March. The new shop is the 18th Rudy’s location across Seattle, Los Angeles, New York, and Portland.
The layout of the second Rudy’s on Capitol Hill is fairly typical for the chain: ten chairs and two shampoo stations. The shop will also carry sodas and cold brew bottles from Stumptown, as well as their usual lines of haircare products.
Rudy’s is opening in the space previously occupied by Salon Ciba, which shuttered last year. According to Cindy Jarvis, who opened Salon Ciba in 1988, the shop has been home to one hair salon or another since the 1930s.
“We’re glad to be bringing service back to the neighborhood and to provide employment opportunities for people that may have been out of work upon the previous business’ closure,” Ryan said.
The 15th Ave E space getting transformed ahead of Rudy’s June 1st opening (Image: Rudy’s)
The Capitol Hill expansion comes after the E Pine-headquartered Rudy’s accepted a $9.25 million investment from a New York-based venture capitol firm. At the time, Rudy’s CEO Vy Le said the funds would mostly be used to upgrade existing shops.
Down the street on 15th Ave E, JTim’s Barbershop remains one of the longest-running barbershops in the city, having first opened its doors in 1966.
Along with Tim’s, Rudy’s will join a cluster of hair and cosmetics businesses on 15th Ave, including the original Wax On, Integra Hair Design and Red Chair Salon. It will neighbor QFC, Take 2 consignment, and, in a pairing we’re sure you’ll find useful at some point, the infamous Shop Rite.
Meanwhile, change along 15th Ave E’s commercial strip continues as the home of Angel’s Shoe Repair since 1980 is set to become Tok, Capitol Hill’s first I-502 pot shop.
Like its E Pine sibling, the new Rudy’s will be open daily 9 AM to 9 PM at 428 15th Ave E. You can learn more here.
(Images: Alex Garland for CHS)
This is so wrong! Now there’s a cluster of barber shop and hair salons on 15th ave to go along with the cluster of pot shops! Capitalism is cruel!
Cluster, meaning two of each, of course.
Seriously, though, I love the fact that Rudy’s is opening another shop. The whole Rudy’s/Ace Hotel thing by one of the founders, the late Alex Calderwood.
Stayed at the Ace Hotel in Midtown New York a couple years ago. Felt like I was on a street in Seattle in the middle of New York: next to the Ace Hotel was a Stumptown Coffee, and next to that was a Rudy’s. Really cool.