Fellow Barber, the New York-born chain of barbershops, announced an agreement with Sortis Holdings that will merge the grooming company with Seattle's iconic Rudy's Barbershop.
WHO: Founded by Sam Buffa and William Tigertt in 2006, Fellow Barber is committed to elevating the craft of barbering. Since opening its first shop in the Lower East Side of Manhattan, Fellow Barber has independently expanded to 11 locations throughout Manhattan, Brooklyn, Los Angeles, and San Francisco—all of which have a unique aesthetic inspired by the diversity of the neighborhood and clientele. The brand also developed a line of expertly crafted, professional quality grooming products, carried in select barbershops and retailers and online.
Since its founding in 1993, Rudy's Barbershop has been the authority on effortless style, combining self-care with culture. They pioneered the modern barbershop movement and redefined a new generation of beauty and grooming, starting with one location in the grungy heart of Seattle and expanding to Portland, NYC, Atlanta, and Phoenix. Rudy's now operates 31 locations in five states and has a line of grooming products sold at Rudy's, online, and through select retailers nationwide.
Sortis Holdings is a collection of brands that combine creative vision with business acumen. Sortis intends to power its brands across hotel & lodging, coffee, food & beverage, and beauty & wellness to drive culture forward, uniting purpose and profit to thoughtfully scale its companies and offer exceptional experiences to its customers.
WHY: The Sortis team is building a platform that unites like-minded consumer brands and enables sustainable growth, cultural equity, and scalable innovations for brands with things to say.
IN THEIR OWN WORDS: "Rudy's Barbershops has always been an inspiration to me," said Sam Buffa, CEO and founder of Fellow Barber. "We recently had an opportunity to purchase a few of the former Rudy's locations in LA, which was a dream. Now, we will be able to operate side-by-side for a common goal—bettering the industry for our skilled barbers and spreading the barbershop culture to even more excited clientele, especially as the men's grooming market continues to grow rapidly."
"This merger was a natural fit for two iconic brands," said Paul Brenneke, Executive Chairman of Sortis. "The opportunity for growth in this industry will be driven by these brands' consumer and barber-first approach. We are well positioned to leverage capabilities, specifically digital, to expand consumer reach and bring new barbers into the industry."
"When Alex, David, and I founded Rudy's, we worked to build an inclusive space that focused on connection, care and community," said co-founder Wade Weigel. "That simple mission is at the core of barbershops, and we've long admired Fellow Barber for taking this charge to heart. We're excited to build on these shared values as we continue to grow under a united sense of purpose."
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