Blade & Bourbon: A Mad Men Inspired Collaboration
Aside from fat wallets and the envy of all their peers, what do Donald Draper and Roger Sterling have in common? Damn. Good. Hair. And What else? Damn. Good. Offices. So while their chauvinistic womanizing had me cringing in every episode, I stuck out seven seasons of Mad Men to visually devour the style of these characters and their surroundings—as any good Costume Design Theater Major would. It's our duty to watch period pieces in the name of Research, and I'm not sad about it.
So I was pretty hyped when this collaboration with Blade and Bourbon came my way. Owner Chris Espinoza saw potential in an unassuming 1950s office building while looking for a new Barber Shop location in Medford. Where many would have dismissed the space entirely or envisioned knocking down walls and gutting the building, Chris took a make-it-work approach, with the mid-century modern, high-style advertising executive offices of Matthew Weiner’s hit show ‘Mad Men’ guiding the way.
Clearly, he needed some iconic, mid-century furnishings to pull this off, which is where Gold Dust Goods comes in. Rather than fill the place with cheap vintage reproductions, what if as many furnishings as possible are authentic to the period? Better yet, what if they are available for sale and switched out periodically so that, much like the offices of Mad Men season to season, customers are surprised with new surroundings every time they drop in for a fresh cut? Heck yes!
We filled the space with two van loads of our most Donald Draper-worthy inventory, and Chris intermingled it with his sleek barber's stations and fab floor coverings, and it turned out swell. Once the furnishings found their places, I snapped these photos to capture this first incarnation of Blade and Bourbon, all fresh and whisker-free. A fine space for the dapper gentleman!
What I dig about this collaboration is getting to know Chris (center) and his focus beyond just cutting hair to creating a bespoke experience to build community. His intention stems from fond memories of going to the barbershop with his father as a child; a boy’s club of sorts, where he watched his Dad come alive as a man independent of his familial role; witty, funny, relaxed, and home among his peers.
Blade and Bourbon is a place to come together, take a load off, and get a hand at putting your best foot forward in the world. As the name implies, customers can partake in a free bourbon while they wait and a complimentary cigar for the road. Traditional hot towel shaves and hand-crafted cuts are on the menu, and a good joke is always encouraged.
Go to Blade and Bourbon to learn more about their hours, services, and location. And if you’re so theatrically inclined, come dressed in your finest wing tips and shift dresses and join us for their official grand opening, Mad Men Christmas Party style:
