Barbershop opens in Pine Plains

PINE PLAINS — Twenty-eight-year-old Justin Nash opened an old-school barbershop in Pine Plains on Saturday, July 11. 

The new barbershop is known as Pine Plains Barbershop. Nash is the owner and works with his business partner, Peter Morfea. 

“It’s like walking back in time with an old-school barbershop, $15 haircuts, traditional hot-towel shaves with a speakeasy type of atmosphere,” said Nash. 

Pine Plains Barbershop offers services such as traditional haircuts, hot-towel shaves, beard and mustache trims and scalp massages. There are also products for sale like pomades, hair gels, classic pinauds, novelty items and gun combs.

The shop has three haircutting stations. The chairs recline and have a vintage look. Visiting Pine Plains Barbershop will be an experience, said Nash.

“You’re not walking into your typical barbershop,” he said. 

Nash has traveled extensively to gather barbershop antiques to put on display in his new shop.  He’s been collecting items such as razors, massagers, towel steamers and hair dryers for 12 years. There is a chair in the front window from the 1800s and a six-and-a-half-foot barber pole from the 1920s. He also has an antique brass cash register that dates back to 1897. 

“I go all over. I traveled eight hours just for a barber pole alone,” Nash said. “It’s a passion of mine. It’s not a job to me. I love what I do.”

Opening up his own barbershop has been a dream of Nash’s since he was in high school. Nash grew up in the barbershop business since he was 10 years old. He described it as his home away from home. 

“[I loved] growing up in the barbershop and seeing how great of an atmosphere it can be,” Nash said. “I always said I want to open up a barbershop that has character, history — that has an experience.”

Nash graduated from Johnson and Wales University with an associate’s degree in management and a bachelor’s degree in business marketing.  He has been cutting hair for 11 years.  His business partner, Morfea, is a second-generation barber who has been cutting hair for between 25 to 30 years. Morfea’s father, Tony Morfea, still gives haircuts to this day.

Morfea has three other shops located in Yorktown, Mahopac and Rhinebeck.

In addition to offering a classic atmosphere, Nash wants his customers to come in and get a quality haircut.  He wants his shop to be reminiscent of when men would hang out, chat, play cards and treat themselves to a relaxing experience. 

“You don’t want to go to a barbershop where you’re in and out in five, 10 minutes. You want to go and have an experience,” said Nash. “Men don’t have places to go and relax anymore. That’s what I wanted to create, a place men can go and treat themselves, to relax and feel good when they leave.” 

Pine Plains seemed to be the perfect fit for a barbershop, Nash said, because of the town’s many buildings from the 1800s.  

“The antiques that are going in the shop are from the late 1800s, early 1900s,” Nash said.  “Pine Plains actually approached us and said, ‘We would love to have an old-school barbershop in town.’ I look forward to becoming an integral part of the Pine Plains community.”

Nash gave a special thanks to  community member and business owner Jack Banning for helping him with his business. 

Pine Plains Barbershop is located on 2978 Church St. in Pine Plains. For more information, call the shop at 518-771-3250.