Name - Options Barber Shop

Address - 87 High Street Halesowen B63 3BQ

Telephone - 01215 850679

Social Media - optionsbarber

Opening Hours - Tues-Friday: 9am - 5.30pm, Saturday: 8.30am - 3.30pm, closed Sunday and Monday

Who are you? My name is Maxine Humphries. I am 32 years old, from Halesowen.

When did you open and why? The shop itself has been open for over 30 years as a hairdressers. I started here as a junior apprentice when I was a 16-year-old school leaver, and in July 2019 I took over the business.

Tell us about your business Options Barber Shop is more than just a barber shop, it is part of the community. Local people including people I grew up with, come here for haircuts. We have long standing friendships and I have built reports with some amazing people throughout the years. This shop has become my life, my livelihood, my passion and my ultimate ambition became a reality last year.

How did you decide on the name? The name has been here since I started as a junior. I do however have plans to change the name in the future when I have finished renovating, but it is top secret for now!

Who works there? So there’s Adam, and myself. Adam has been here with me for around five years or so now. We actually went to high school together. He would say he is the talented one as well as the charming one!

Who are your customers? My customers are anyone and everyone, local people, business people, retired people, people travelling and visiting families. I have met many different people from all over the world and have learnt a lot about their lives in a short space of time! I have customers I grew up with, some I’ve even cried with, this job becomes very personal and I take a lot of pride in that.

What’s your most memorable / proudest moment in business? Wow, its hard to pick just one! Having been here for so long I have been cutting some people's hair from childhood, and I have watched people pass their A-Levels, leave university with Firsts and some have even started families! (I do feel old!) Watching every person walk in with achievements, no matter how big or small is always a big highlight of my day. We are all growing together like one big happy barber family!

Have you had any strange/ quirky suggestions or stories from customers?Yes....a lot over the years...haha...asking to look like George Clooney or David Beckham are always favourites of mine, my usual reply is, “I can do the haircut, just not give you the bank balance!”

What are your ambitions for the future? I’ve just started renovating the shop. Everything is going to be gutted, stripped and sanded down. I want to keep my local business thriving in the town. Most of us are Halesowen born and bred and we are a pretty tight knit community. We help each other's businesses, advertise for each other. I want Halesowen to keep on growing and improving. I do have a few surprises in store and I’m so excited to see it all finished. After 17 years working here I finally get to choose the colour of the wallpaper!