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Rudy’s Barbershop opening on 15th Ave E

(Image: Rudy's)

(Image: Rudy’s)

(Image: CHS)

(Image: CHS)

A familiar Capitol Hill-headquartered barbershop chain is expanding its stylish empire this summer into a 15th Ave E space with deep roots in the hair business. CHS has learned that Rudy’s Barbershop has signed a lease to open a new location at 15th and E Republican.

The 15th Ave shop will be the 10th Rudy’s location in Seattle, and the first to open in the same neighborhood as an existing shop. The E Pine Rudy’s first opened its doors in 1993.

“We just thought we could use more business up there,” Rudy’s spokesperson Alyssa Dykgraas told CHS. “It’s far enough away that it’s not going to take away customers from our other Capitol Hill shop.”

The space is the former location of Salon Ciba, which shuttered last year.

According to Dykgraas, Rudy’s expects to open the shop in June. Earlier this month, Rudy’s opened its first location in West Seattle. The 15th Ave shop will be the 18th Rudy’s location across Seattle, Los Angeles, New York, and Portland.

The Capitol Hill expansion comes after Rudy’s accepted a $9.25 million investment from a New York-based venture capitol firm. At the time, Rudy’s CEO Vy Le told CHS the funds would mostly be used to upgrade existing shops.

According to Cindy Jarvis, who opened Salon Ciba in 1988, the shop has been home to one hair salon or another since the 1930s. Jarvis sold the business last October.

The new Rudy’s will share the look and feel of the chain’s shops known for their rock and roll vibe. Mallet is working on creating the new 1,300 square-foot salon. Here’s what Mallet created with the latest new Rudy’s to open in West Seattle.

(Image: CHS)

(Image: CHS)

Down the street on 15th Ave E, Tim’s Barbershop remains one of the longest-running barbershops in the city, having first opened its doors in 1966. Owner Tim Nicholson says he isn’t sweating the expansion of Pike/Pine cool up the hill.

“Rudy’s is no competition for me,” Nicholson said. “That’s a whole different clientele.”

Along with Tim’s, Rudy’s will join a cluster of hair and cosmetics businesses on 15th Ave, including the original Wax OnIntegra Hair Design and Red Chair Salon. It will neighbor QFC, Take 2 consignment, and, in a pairing we’re sure you’ll find useful at some point, the infamous Shop Rite.

Rudy’s also joins a growing list of changes on 15th Ave E. Starting on the north end with an overhauled Canterbury, new businesses and upgrades have included a revamped Coastal Kitchen and new ventures like Nuflours, Rione XIII, The Wandering Goose, The Shop Agora, and Ada’s Technical Books & Cafe. The neighborhood has also bid farewell to a number of shops on the street, including On 15th Video, the Bagel Deli, North Hill Bakery and Chutneys.

Open commercial space on the street is mostly being snapped up quickly. The Station 7 boutique is building out its new space in the old fire station next to QFC. The I-502-friendly nature of the commercial strip has also brought new demand to 15th Ave E. In February, CHS broke the news that the owner of the Uncle Ike’s marijuana store at 23rd and Union had acquired the building formerly home to a veterinarian kitty corner to the new Rudy’s location at 15th and Republican. Ike’s, a CHS advertiser, does not yet have permits to operate an I-502 retail operation on the street.

Meanwhile, the new Stream 15 building under construction on 15th at Mercer will bring new commercial space and residents to the neighborhood.

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15 Comments
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RWK
RWK
9 years ago

Tim Nicholson may not be worried, but I think he should be….Rudy’s is bound to take away at least some of his business. I hope Tim’s survives….it’s a nice, old-fashioned barbershop…..and, refreshingly, not hip.

As an aside, I wonder why the vacant space next to the Wandering Goose (? Three Doors formerly) is not getting snapped up?

Jim98122x
Jim98122x
9 years ago
Reply to  RWK

He might just get more business. I used to patronize Rudy’s Pine St location. Even calling get on the waitlist, waiting 2 hrs, then showing up, I often had to wait another hour. If the 15th Ave E location is anything like the Pine St location, people may get tired of the waits and wander over to Tim’s shop.

dc
dc
9 years ago
Reply to  Jim98122x

Yeah, hopefully it’s like the starbucks effect on smaller cafes. You’d expect them to die when a sbux opens around the corner, but instead they see lots of business as people leave when the line’s too long or see a local place and think “hm maybe I’ll go there instead.”

Leida
Leida
9 years ago
Reply to  dc

Rudy’s is local though! There is room for everything/everyone.

Mike Hernattie
Mike Hernattie
8 years ago
Reply to  Leida

Rudy’s is local? Sure – if you count 30 (and counting) locations throughout New York, Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle “local”. I’ve had one too many bad haircuts at Rudy’s. (Fremont and Cap Hill locations). Greenwood was ok. Fortunately, there’s still plenty of other great and *really* local barbers / salons in the area.

rageofage
rageofage
9 years ago

It was only a matter of time before the creeping tentacles of hispterism/gentrification find new places to roost.

rageofage
rageofage
9 years ago
Reply to  rageofage

Water finds its own level.

citycat
citycat
9 years ago

A few years ago, my partner got his hair cut at Rudy’s. There is no nice way to put this, so I will just state it. He looked terrible. It was a really bad cut. We had a good laugh about it then and continue to find it humorous.

Miles
Miles
8 years ago

There are 2 barbers at Tims. Tim the owner knows how to cut hair. But you probably wound up with the young blond guy. His attitude is awful. Sullen. Behaves as tho he hates his job, non existent customer service skills and does not know hair. I wait until he’s not working and then scurry in.

matt
matt
8 years ago

Oh the gentrification!

Jim98122x
Jim98122x
8 years ago
Reply to  matt

Wait– Rudy’s hipsterism begets gentrification? Hipsters can GENTRIFY? OhMyGod, I’m so old and confused, I just can’t keep up with this anymore.

Jim98122x
Jim98122x
8 years ago
Reply to  Jim98122x

And isn’t 15th already the epitome of “gentrified”, anyway?

matt
matt
8 years ago
Reply to  Jim98122x

Isn’t the whole CH?

trackback

[…] of the space continued at a frantic pace toward the planned June 1st opening. CHS told you about Rudy’s expansion to 15th and Republican in March. The new shop is the 18th Rudy’s location across Seattle, Los Angeles, New York, and […]

Mike Hernattie
Mike Hernattie
8 years ago

One good thing about Rudy’s = jobs. They will hire anyone.