Famous YouTuber opens barbershop on Staten Island and will film his popular series here

New York’s Staten Island — The well-known YouTuber, podcaster, and social media personality Jeff Wittek has launched his first physical barbershop. He rose to prominence as a celebrity barber thanks to a popular line of men’s grooming goods. The setting: The center of his hometown on Staten Island.

I grew raised on Staten Island. According to Wittek, it’s what shaped who I am and where my principles and sense of humor were formed. Victory Boulevard is very important to me personally, which is why I chose it as the venue. Although it’s not the identical business where I worked when I lived here, many of the barbers I worked with back then are still there, and it’s where my school bus used to drop me off. It seems to be the most familiar thing. It felt natural to me because I grew up there.

Jeff’s Barbershop is situated in Meiers Corners, at the crossroads of Victory and Watchogue Road. It has a standard red-white-and-blue barber pole and a bright red awning. Wittek, who has almost 3 million subscribers, will be filming his popular YouTube series, Jeff’s Barbershop, there.

According to Wittek, I will continue to spend months here every year filming my barbershop show. The barbershop tradition I grew up with served as a major inspiration for the show, and I will finally be filming in a real barbershop rather than on a set in Los Angeles. It feels natural.

During the ceremonial opening of his own barbershop in Meiers Corners, Jeff Wittek is pictured getting a new haircut in a chair. (Thanks to Kyle Barper.)(Photo credit: Jeff Wittek)

Born and reared in the borough, Wittek claims that while still in high school, he began cutting his brother’s and even his own hair. Since the bus deposited him off at the barbershop, he began to hang around there.

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After seeing the barber’s job, I began brushing hair, he stated. The barbers started inquiring about who was cutting the sides of my hair, and they were startled to learn that I was doing it myself. One of the barbers, Mike, promised to educate me and said I might even obtain a job there if I persevered.

When Mike called in sick a few weeks later while the owner was away on vacation, Wittek was left in charge of the store.

He stated, “I must have cut twenty people that first day.” Despite my lack of a license, my inexperience, and my age of 16, I managed to pull it off. After everyone returned, they granted me a full-time job because they were pleased with my handling of the situation.

After a few years, Wittek relocated to Miami and began working in a store that attracted a lot of celebrities.

He claimed that’s when things really started to take off. I worked in a barbershop where celebrities would drop in, and I took advantage of social media when it emerged. It elevated my profession to a new level by enabling me to network with celebrities and people from around the globe.

Before starting his Barbershop series, he became well-known for styling celebrities like Big Sean and DJ Pauly D. Before introducing his own line of grooming products in 2019, he also produced the award-winning documentary Don’t Try This at Home. He said that his roots on Staten Island are largely responsible for his success.

“The barbershop culture I grew up with served as a major inspiration for the show, and I’ll finally be filming in a real barbershop rather than on a set in Los Angeles. “It just feels right,” Wittek said. (Thanks to Kyle Barper.)(Photo credit: Jeff Wittek)

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“You don’t realize it until you leave,” he said, referring to Staten Island as unique. There were moments as a child when I didn’t enjoy being from Staten Island. I didn’t think there were many chances to advance outside of the Island, and I even tried to modify my accent for auditions after moving to Los Angeles since I detested it. However, after being away for a few years, I’ve come to the realization that Staten Island is very much a part of who I am and that you have to be yourself to succeed in this industry. My achievement can be attributed in large part to my upbringing, culture, and parents.

Wittek stated that his goal is to have a consistent presence in his hometown now that he has built his flagship barbershop here.

“I will most certainly be present,” he said. In addition to filming my program after work, I’m sure I’ll be hanging around in my spare time. Being at a barbershop in New York has a certain allure. Everyone laughs it off even when people say the cruelest things to one another. Nothing compares to the sense of comedy that comes from New York.

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