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Calling gentlemen of all ages! There is a new, sophisticated grooming experience that awaits you nestled in the serene community of South Pasadena. A novel idea that was born out of the pandemic, a time when in-person grooming was lost and had Calibrate co-founder, Jonathan Raju, reflecting on the idea of a destination for gentlemen like himself that just didn’t currently exist.
“I am our target demographic,” says Raju. “I love going to get groomed; whether it be a hair cut, my beard, manicure, pedicure. And in late 2020, when things were just beginning to open up again, I took my daughter to get a manicure and it dawned on me that there really wasn’t a place that is more masculine, where men can also be comfortable, getting specifically the nail services – and that’s really where we saw a blue ocean opportunity.”
He called his former barber of many years, Jason Lopez, who says, “Jonathan called me with this opportunity that I just couldn’t say no to – it was great timing because I was itching for an opportunity in my career to do something big.”
“There was not a place that existed,” continues Raju. “Higher end in terms of the interior, the features, and the services that a gentleman would get and so that was the genesis of the idea.”
Less obvious and really ingenious was the idea to bring in auto detailing. Again, during the pandemic, Raju began working with Kenny Owens of Dr. Detail, having him detail not only his cars regularly but setting up days where he would come and work on all of his neighbors’ cars as well.
“I’ve always personally wanted to be very efficient and effective with my time,” explains Raju. “One day, it dawned on me to say, hey, wouldn’t this be a nice cherry on top? If you went someplace that was modern, sophisticated, and understood the incredibly tiny details. And you can get your hair cut, and get a manicure or pedicure. And you can also get your vehicle washed at the same time. And it really wasn’t about efficiency at that moment. It was about an experience that you are fully groomed – you look good, you feel good. And you know, the last thing you want is to step into a dirty vehicle. And when you can leave and then step into a clean vehicle, in our opinion, it just completes the experience.”
Calibrate times your services, also available to women by the way (more on that below), in a way that has your 100% handwashed car ready and waiting for you in 45 minutes for a standard handwash.“We have them timed very intentionally so they run together. It’s a full exterior handwash and interior clean – carpets removed and vacuumed,” explains Raju. “For longer services, we can offer a mini detail package that takes about 90 minutes. So if a client is getting let’s say a haircut plus a manicure, that affords us enough time to do the mini detail on the vehicle.”
“It immediately made sense,” echoes Lopez. “When I pictured myself groomed – nice haircut, beard trimmed, getting into a clean car – I said, “this is genius.” Guys are going to love this feeling. Being efficient with their time, feeling good, feeling clean – and then stepping into a clean vehicle. You can’t go wrong with that. A vision of when people leave the chair, they love their haircut, they feel confident and get into their clean car? It’s a satisfying feeling.”
Of course this goes the same for women who may love a clean car even more than men, am I right, ladies? So as they bring on a hairstylist and introduce skincare services for women, it becomes something that couples and families can enjoy together and separately with exclusive, affordable memberships available. Monthly memberships start at just $185 and can be shared with a family member. They have 20 exclusive spots for an unlimited tier, called Calibrate Plus, which offers unlimited services and added amenities like a personally curated locker that includes your own styling products and tools.
Heading into Homecoming dances, Halloween, and the hectic holiday season, Calibrate offers a pit stop sanctuary that allows you to “Look Good, Feel Good, and Do Good”.
“I think the holidays are a beautiful time that really promotes togetherness with friends and family,” says Raju. “Of course, during those times, we all want to be at our best. And let’s not forget, it’s an incredibly stressful time of year. So I think that’s where Calibrate can add significant value – let us help you. Let us take care of all of the needs for your whole family. Calibrate is a place where gentlemen, parents and families can come in and get fully calibrated. Haircuts are just the tip of the iceberg.”
Calibrate encourages clients or new clients to book online and to book ahead of time, because appointment slots are certainly filling up very quickly. To book now and find out further details on memberships visit CalibrateGrooming.com or call (626) 240-5052.
