A cop, a lawyer and an ex-convict walk into a barbershop. No, this isn't the beginning of a bad joke. It's a typical day at Old Soul Barbershop, which opened in Winooski in October 2016. The shop's owner, Christian DuBrul, wasn't joking when he mentioned that particular trio during my recent visit to his shop. The 22-year-old master of shears says Old Soul attracts people from a wide range of backgrounds. The shop specializes in a number of traditional cuts, such as the high and tight, the crew cut and the executive cut. It also offers the bygone practice of the hot-towel, straight-razor shave. DuBrul opened the shop to fill what he saw as a void in men's grooming options in the area. I discovered an inviting, boisterous hub of male bonding, fine craftsmanship and a pitch-perfect throwback to the American mid-century barbershop. "I make sure all my clients know me on a personal level," said DuBrul. That sentiment was echoed by his team: Andrew Juhasz, James Lightholder and Jake Sleeper. On a recent Wednesday morning, I motored over to the shop to get snipped and shorn. Old Soul is located in the small bungalow on Main Street that formerly housed the Classy Closet, a secondhand clothing store. Upon arrival, I was surprised to see that nearly every seat in the waiting area was full and that all four of the shop's barbers were busy with clients. I later learned that "hump day" is usually the shop's slowest. Warm and welcoming, DuBrul greeted me and told me to add my name to the list by the door — Old Soul is walk-in only. He's tall and slim with dirty-blond hair and a sparse goatee. He sported a red, polyester zip-up barber's jacket. Born and raised in South Burlington, DuBrul started learning the barber trade by practicing on his friends while still in high school. After graduating in 2013, he trained at O'Briens Aveda Institute. He worked as a barber for a few years at a shop in Burlington before striking out on his own. On the day of my visit, most clients appeared to be in their twenties or thirties, though DuBrul told me his customers range in age from less than a year to well into their senior years. He also said that the shop is not exclusively for men. Anyone who desires a short hairstyle is…
A cop, a lawyer and an ex-convict walk into a barbershop. No, this isn't the beginning of a bad joke. It's a typical day at Old Soul Barbershop, which opened in Winooski in October 2016. The shop's owner, Christian DuBrul, wasn't joking when he mentioned that particular trio during my recent visit to his shop. The 22-year-old master of shears says Old Soul attracts people from a wide range of backgrounds. The shop specializes in a number of traditional cuts, such as the high and tight, the crew cut and the executive cut. It also offers the bygone practice of the hot-towel, straight-razor shave. DuBrul opened the shop to fill what he saw as a void in men's grooming options in the area. I discovered an inviting, boisterous hub of male bonding, fine craftsmanship and a pitch-perfect throwback to the American mid-century barbershop. "I make sure all my clients know me on a personal level," said DuBrul. That sentiment was echoed by his team: Andrew Juhasz, James Lightholder and Jake Sleeper. On a recent Wednesday morning, I motored over to the shop to get snipped and shorn. Old Soul is located in the small bungalow on Main Street that formerly housed the Classy Closet, a secondhand clothing store. Upon arrival, I was surprised to see that nearly every seat in the waiting area was full and that all four of the shop's barbers were busy with clients. I later learned that "hump day" is usually the shop's slowest. Warm and welcoming, DuBrul greeted me and told me to add my name to the list by the door — Old Soul is walk-in only. He's tall and slim with dirty-blond hair and a sparse goatee. He sported a red, polyester zip-up barber's jacket. Born and raised in South Burlington, DuBrul started learning the barber trade by practicing on his friends while still in high school. After graduating in 2013, he trained at O'Briens Aveda Institute. He worked as a barber for a few years at a shop in Burlington before striking out on his own. On the day of my visit, most clients appeared to be in their twenties or thirties, though DuBrul told me his customers range in age from less than a year to well into their senior years. He also said that the shop is not exclusively for men. Anyone who desires a short hairstyle is…