José

José opened Jose's Barber Shop on N Milwaukee Ave in Portage Park. In his own words, he works with all hair textures and all types of beard shave, with one goal: that every client leaves happy, satisfied and looking their best.

That's most of what there is to know about how the shop runs. Appointments are booked for forty minutes or an hour rather than twenty, because a fade that blends and a beard line that suits your face are not things you rush. Clients describe the room as calm, clean and unhurried — which is deliberate, and which is why the shop's reputation was built almost entirely on people telling other people.

The shop is family-rooted: the painted logo on the back wall was unveiled with José's son pointing at it, and kids' cuts are a real part of the menu rather than an afterthought. José serves clients in English and Spanish, and reviews come in both.

Jose's is now growing from one barber's chair into a team. If you're a barber looking for a chair in Portage Park, the shop has stations open — see the careers page.