It’s hard to believe that Hudson / Hawk Barber & Shop was founded over ten years ago, in the spring of 2013. As we’ve grown over the years, we’ve been able to fill our ever-expanding family of shops with kind and talented barbers. It’s been an honor, and we’re always looking to add fresh faces to our community. As we continue on this wild and wonderful journey, we want to take a moment to share how it all began.
How Hudson / Hawk Got Its Start
Filling a Void in the Marketplace
The idea for Hudson / Hawk arose when co-founder Thad Forrester noticed a void in the marketplace. Whatever happened to old-school, community-oriented barbershops? Where were the barbers offering more than just a quick, in-and-out haircut experience? Why did the only option for haircuts seem to be standard beauty salons? And where could men find an upgraded grooming experience in the southwest Missouri area? Although Thad wasn’t a barber himself, he had always been interested in grooming and styling, and he was well-acquainted with co-founder Paul Catlett, an accomplished barber who dreamt of opening his own barbershop. They quickly found that they brought different, complementary strengths to the table: Paul boasted strong hair-cutting and styling skills as well as salon experience, while Thad’s background centered on advertising, branding, and customer service.
The two men joined forces to launch Hudson / Hawk Barber & Shop, which takes its name from Thad’s youngest son and Paul’s youngest son — a fitting name for a business designed to feel like a family. They wanted Hudson / Hawk to be a new kind of barbershop, a welcoming place offering top-notch grooming services, easy conversation, and good vibes.
Relentlessly Hustling
Forming their dream barbershop was just the beginning, of course. After that, Thad and Paul had to work hard to spread the word and get the business off the ground. To establish the Hudson / Hawk name within the Springfield area and share that they offered barbering skills and services worth checking out, they hustled tirelessly. Some of their first targets were local fraternities, which allowed them to quickly garner a growing customer base. But they also talked up Hudson / Hawk everywhere they went because they believed in the business and knew it could be something great once it found its audience.
Donning Every Hat from Marketing to Operations
They also stepped into every role in the business, pivoting as needed. Because they didn’t have a shop coordinator or operations team at the start, everything fell on their shoulders: cutting hair, checking out clients, stocking inventory, creating community buzz, even cleaning toilets! This created a culture of camaraderie, as even the newest employees quickly learned that those at the top truly understood every job in the business.
Creating a Community-Driven Barbershop
Finding your people takes time, but our team worked hard to quickly create a solid community. The first moment Thad knew they had something special occurred on the day before Thanksgiving in 2013. Droves of clients were coming in and out all day — so many that the team was continually adding chairs to the waiting area — and the team ended up working until 9:30 p.m., refusing to stop until every client walked out with a smile. Although the day was completely exhausting, gratitude washed over Thad as he realized those clients were experiencing a new kind of barbershop and they were almost certainly going to come back. (Spoiler alert: they did.) All that hard work had finally paid off.
Interested in Joining Our Team?
We’re honored that the Springfield community embraced our barbershop way back in 2013, allowing us to slowly expand across Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, and Oklahoma in the years since. While we’ve added many new faces to our team over the years, we haven’t lost that initial industrious spirit. We’re still passionate about creating modern, comfortable spaces where people of all ages can enjoy top-quality cuts, a range of grooming services, and good conversation: old-school barbershops designed for the present day. Are you interested in joining us?
If you’d like to become a barber, look no further than Hudson / Hawk Barber & Shop. On our website, you can view our open positions, learn more about the perks of the job, and explore the growth path we encourage our barbers to follow for career growth. We strive to fill our shops with warm, welcoming people who boast top-notch barbering skills and are passionate about having a positive impact on their community. If that sounds like you, apply now.