Staying Sharp in South Park: Meet Local Barber Joey Calderon

For many men, a haircut comes around every few weeks. While DTLA is known for its walkability to restaurants, art, and culture, having access to life necessities in walking range is another bonus. Joey is a barber at Mr. Brothers on 9th and Main; she’s been serving the community with fresh cuts since they opened in 2022.

Born and raised in the valley, she’s the daughter of a carpenter and has always loved being creative and working with her hands. After concluding corporate America wasn’t her path, she enrolled in barber school six years ago and fell in love with the craft. She has since spent extended time in the Bay Area and Puerto Rico, honing her skills and choosing downtown upon moving home to experience a more walkable Los Angeles.

Most of her clients are local, and she enjoys the community aspect of working downtown and getting to know many different walks of life. As she often sees the same clients every few weeks, she’s able to build relationships that go beyond the haircut and becomes a catch-up or something akin to therapy. Men don’t often have a space to do that. While her niche leans toward shear work and long scissor cuts, she’s not closed off to anything and her range is diverse.

Mr. Brothers, the studio she works at, was founded in Tokyo in 2015 and expanded to Los Angeles as their first U.S. location in 2022. It’s a vintage style shop inspired by traditional style barbering and incorporating Japanese technique. Part of their team moved here from Japan, and they plan to expand further in the U.S.

You can book your next cut and check out her work on Instagram @joeylovethebarber.

By Aileen Coyle