New Barbershop Will Serve Beers and Pedicures For Men

A new business in East Town plans to serve beers, pedicures and more, offering a judgment-free space for men to attend to their self-care needs.

Mancave Milwaukee, a grooming bar, would open at 706 N. Milwaukee St., next to Indulge wine bar.

Behind the concept is Jeffrey “Jay T” Taylor, whose goal is to provide a gathering place for men that evokes the feel of a classic man cave — complete with alcoholic beverages and entertainment, while partaking in grooming services such as haircuts, shaves, brow care, manicures and pedicures.

Taylor has long dreamed of opening a barber shop, he said, adding that he hopes to change the culture of men’s grooming and comfortability with self-care.

“Me being a man, and talking to other men, we have this complex to where we don’t like sitting in nail salons with all women, doing those types of things,” Taylor said. “But throughout the entire day, we’re either on our feet all day or using our hands all day. So it’s very good practice to kind of take care of those parts of our bodies.”

Taylor said he plans to evoke the feel of a sports bar with “TVs everywhere” tuned into Spike, ESPN and other sports channels. Aside from basic decor and equipment, there are no commercial alterations planned for the space.

The building is “pretty much ready to go,” said Taylor, noting that the final step will be to install plumbing.

The grooming bar is expected to open on April 7.

In addition to Taylor’s talents, the shop’s lead cosmetologist, head barber and staff have nearly 20 years of combined experience.

YenOanh Le, also known as Nails by O, will act as lead cosmetologist, while Taylor’s brother, Christopher Taylor, will be head barber. The 27-year-old master barber, known as Twis the Barber by his clients, has become so skilled that he is often recruited to cut professional athletes, Jeffrey Taylor said.

“He’s taken that game, as far as being a barber, to a whole new level,” he added.

Jeffrey Taylor explained that his brother often has to travel to clients’ hotels or homes due to limited space at his barber suite. With this new space, Jeffrey Taylor said he saw the opportunity to boost his brother’s business while simultaneously working to shift the broader culture of men’s grooming.

“We sat around and talked about it, and the manicure-pedicure situation is almost unanimous in regards to a need for men that we don’t partake in,” Jeffrey Taylor said. “So I want to open the doors for us men to be able to do just that.”

Although the space is designed for men, Jeffrey Taylor said he is cognizant of the fact that many of the patrons have “special women” in their lives who may also want to visit the shop.

During Mancave’s Couple Nights, women would be welcome to join for live entertainment including comedy, music, poetry readings and karaoke. That way, he explained, “you can still enjoy all these services, and at the same time, your wife, girlfriend or fiancée can come in and be taken care of just the same.”

The 1,154-square-foot retail space has seen a great deal of turnover throughout the past decade. Since just 2007, Christian Science Reading Room, Flagship, Luci Boutique and MKE Hemp Rx have all occupied the stall. A 2020 plan to open Lifted and Gifted, a restaurant serving CBD-infused dishes in the space, never came to fruition.

Mancave Milwaukee would join several other barber shops on the street, including Milwaukee Street Barber Shop and Atelier Barbershop and Salon.

Once open, Mancave Milwaukee’s expected hours are Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Friday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 a.m., according to the license application.