For barbershops + Black-owned + booth-rental shops
Distinct from /for/salons (balayage + appointment-only world). Barbershops are 60% walk-in: callers ask 'how long's the wait?' more than 'can I book Tuesday?' Booth-rental routing supports each barber as a business-within-the-business (independent pricing + independent calendar + $200/week chair rent). AAE voices (Jessica Cashay + Marco) recommended for Black-owned shops. Black-specific mental-health resources (Therapy for Black Men 1-833-9HELP4U, BEAM Hotline) routed in addition to 988 because Black men talk to their barber before they talk to a therapist.
What your callers hear
“Fade Republic, this is the AI, how can I help? Looking for a cut today, want to book a specific chair, or have a question?”
Different from salon appointments. 60% of barbershop calls are 'how long's the wait?' or 'put me on the list, I'm 10 minutes out.' The AI quotes your live wait time (from your dashboard: 'no wait', '20 min', '45 min', 'closed for lunch 12-1') + adds the caller to the queue by name + first-cut-when. Calendar-slot booking is the EXCEPTION, not the rule.
Salons assume W-2 stylists with a unified calendar. Barbershops: each master barber sets their own prices, keeps their own money, runs their own books, pays you $200/week for the chair. The AI routes by barber-as-business-within-business: 'I want Pookie's chair Wednesday 5pm' lands on Pookie's calendar at Pookie's prices, not your shop's. Booking deposits go to Pookie's Cash App, not your shop's Stripe.
Jessica Cashay (female AAE, 'Young, warm, conversational') and Marco (male AAE, 'Mature, confident, professional') are in the voice library — recommended in /for/barbershops Settings → Voice for Black-owned shops. Your AI doesn't sound like a Buckhead blowout bar; it sounds like the shop. AAE-natural transcription preserved without 'corrected' grammar (your transcripts read like the shop talks).
Black men talk to barbers before therapists. When a regular leaves a voicemail about losing his son to gun violence or his marriage falling apart, 988 is the floor but the AI also offers Therapy for Black Men 1-833-9HELP4U + BEAM Black Emotional + Mental health Collective + (in major Black metros) population-specific local resources. Safety.ts rule 12 R15 extension. Black-male-specific grief + suicide-risk routing matters because the disparities are real.
A parent calling to book their kid's first haircut is calling about a moment. The AI captures: kid's age, parent's chosen master barber (often the family barber for generations), keepsake-curl preservation (some shops keep a lock for the parents), and 'is grandma coming too?' as a soft prompt. Not a transaction; not upsold. Cultural significance preserved.
Old-head Veterans Day discounts ($X off for veterans the first Wednesday of November). Honor Roll discounts for elders. AAE-natural intake captures the discount request without making them prove eligibility on the call (the barber decides; the AI takes the request).
From the dashboard or your phone, set the wait: 'no wait' / '15 min' / '30 min' / '1 hour' / 'closed for lunch'. AI quotes live to callers + adds them to the queue with name + first-cut-when.
Each master barber gets independent pricing + independent calendar + independent Cash App / Stripe / payment processor + independent deposit policy. Booking deposit for Pookie's chair lands in Pookie's payment account, not the shop's.
Jessica Cashay + Marco available; recommended for Black-owned shops. AAE-natural transcription (per persona audits) preserves grammar + slang without sanitizing.
988 + Therapy for Black Men 1-833-9HELP4U + BEAM hotline routed when grief / mental-health context detected. Population-specific resources surfaced in addition to the universal 988.
“You're booked, Maria — Carlos will be there tomorrow at 9 with parts for a copper pinhole leak.”
$129/mo if you go month-to-month. Three plans (Starter / Professional / Enterprise), voice cloning included with any active plan, BYO phone number. Most barbershops + Black-owned + booth-rental shops start on Professional for multi-staff routing.
See pricing →Yes. You flip the wait from the dashboard or your phone ('no wait', '20 min', '45 min'); the AI quotes that to callers + adds them to the queue with name + estimated first-cut. Calendar-slot booking is the EXCEPTION, not the rule, for barbershops.
Yes. Each master barber sets independent pricing + independent calendar + independent payment account. 'I want Pookie's chair Wednesday 5pm' lands on Pookie's calendar at Pookie's prices, with the deposit going to Pookie's Cash App (not the shop's Stripe). Booth-rental as a business model is first-class.
Yes. Jessica Cashay (female AAE, 'Young, warm, conversational') + Marco (male AAE, 'Mature, confident, professional') are in the voice library + explicitly recommended in /for/barbershops Settings → Voice. Your AI sounds like Fade Republic, not like Buckhead.
Safety.ts rule 12 (R15 extension) routes Black-male grief / mental-health context to: 988 (universal), Therapy for Black Men 1-833-9HELP4U, BEAM Black Emotional + Mental health Collective, plus (in major Black metros) population-specific resources. Then SMS-pages you (the owner) regardless of after-hours rules so you can call back personally. Black men talk to barbers before therapists; the AI matches that posture.
Yes. Captures kid's age, family barber preference, keepsake-curl request (some shops keep a lock for the parents), 'is grandma coming?' soft prompt. Not upsold. Cultural significance preserved in the intake row.
Pick your barbershop services, hours, and voice. Your AI is answering test calls inside 10 minutes.
Get started →