HISTORY

WHEN I REMEMBER MY CHILDHOOD, MY GRANDFATHER IMMEDIATELY COMES TO MIND. HE KNEW A LOT OF PEOPLE, WORKED ALL THE TIME, AND WAS RESPECTED BY EVERYONE HE RAN A SMALL SHOP, A “BOTTEGA” TO BE PRECISE... THAT PLACE LOOKED TO BE ENORMOUS TO ME, THE BIGGEST PLACE IN THE WORLD. THERE WERE ONLY MEN INSIDE: THEY READ THE NEWSPAPER, SMOKED... AND SAT IN STRANGE, GIGANTIC CHAIRS.

I GREW UP WATCHING HIM WORK, CUT BEARDS AND HAIR DAY AFTER DAY... HE DID IT EVERY DAY FOR MORE THAN 50 YEARS.

TODAY I AM PART OF THE THIRD GENERATION OF MY FAMILY, AND THERE IS ONLY ONE THING I REGRET ABOUT MY JOB: NEVER HAVING WORKED ALONGSIDE HIM. THIS LETTER IS DEDICATED TO YOU, GRANDPA: YOU TAUGHT ME WHAT DEDICATION MEANS...YOU PASSED ON TO ME THE SOUL OF THIS PROFESSION. YOU NEVER GAVE UP. NOW I'M GROWN UP, GRANDPA, AND I'M A BARBER TOO.

TONSOR RECALLS THE OLD LATIN WORD FOR “BARBER”. 1951 IS THE DATE OUR GRANDFATHERS OPENED THEIR FIRST BARBERSHOP.

WE’RE BARBERS…EVERY DAY WE LISTEN TO THE NEEDS OF OUR CUSTOMERS, AND WE CREATE PRODUCTS TO MEET THEIR NEEDS. EACH PRODUCT ARRIVES ON THE MARKET AFTER IT HAS BEEN USED AND APPRECIATED BY THOUSANDS OF MEN.