From a young age, he has followed his family’s footsteps, mastering the art of barbering.
“I’ve been barbering since I was 12 years old in Türkiye,” he said.
“I was a qualified barber at 17, and at 18 I moved to Australia and started working here.”
Since moving to Australia, his barbering has taken him all over the country, from Melbourne, the Gold Coast and Perth, before finally settling down in his wife’s hometown of Tatura in 2015.
“I worked in Shepparton for a couple of years and then decided to open a barbershop in Tatura,” he said.
“I was on 110 Hogan St, Al’s Barber and Styling Studio. We ran that shop for seven years, but down that end it was a bit quiet.
“When this new hub opened here I thought it may be better, a bit busier.”
Now, Al has opened his new studio, the Barber Hub in the IGA complex, nestled in the middle of the town.
Here, he aims to introduce Tatura to the unique experience of traditional Turkish barbering.
“I always wanted to do this traditional Turkish shave,” he said.
A Turkish shave is a close, clean shave that will leave your skin looking and feeling smooth.
It involves hot towels, warm water for cleansing, and traditional tools like the cut-throat razor.
To accomplish this technique, Al’s barbershop needed to be set out a little differently.
“We’ve got sinks at every station, which is to help us to do the hot towel clean shave, and wash your face with warm water,” he said.
“A lot of people, especially the younger generation, haven’t had that experience of a cut-throat shave before, and not many barbers here actually can use the tool.
“This service is very unique, not just to Tatura, but to Shepparton as well.”
Al’s not the only familiar face you’ll see at the Barber Hub, with another local set to join the hub.
Jodie Newell from Grand Central Barbershop announced that she would be joining forces with Al, and is very excited to start in the new shop.
The new Barber Hub is now open, with walk-ins welcome.
They are also looking for qualified barbers or those interested in learning the trade.
To find out more, visit their Facebook page, or phone the Barber Hub on 5824 3555.
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