Photo: QueensPost
March 14, 2011 Staff Report
Juan’s Barber Shop, located at 42-09 Queens Blvd, opened for the first time yesterday.
The owner is Juan Guallpa, an Ecuadorian immigrant who was a full time barber at Master Barber Shop # 1, which is located just two blocks away from his new store.
Guallpa decided the time was right to start his own business and took one of the barbers from Master Barber Shop’s barbers with him.
The store is open 7 days a week and offers $10 haircuts for men and $8 for boys.
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There is nothing more “old fashioned” than an employee leaving an initial place of employment to start their own business. It is what America is all about. Any yes, you can have it right next door if that’s where you want it. It forms competition, which in turn makes both places deliver good service if they want to survive. Once again, this is what America is all about. Enough with this ridiculousness back and forth already. Does anyone have any reviews of this place? My afro needs a major buzz. And please, run your spellchecker before you post. Have a smashing day!
This doesn’t tell me what hours they are open..
Dear long time resident, a employee should never set aside their best interest simply because their boss with nice and respecful. we all have choices to make. No boss, is going scrafice their busines for a worker which is the right thing to do. But if both sides get a little lucky and your company get busy and your boss sees you are a star then maybe you will be rewerded for your effort. Maybe not always somebosses that the fame and the moeny for themselves. Not every boss likes to share
I’m not sure what we disagree about anymore. Nor am I sure, since you didn’t answer, whether or not an employee ought to set aside their best interests simply because his/her boss was nice and respectful.
Dear Long Time Resident, You are right, that a worker is entilted to hopes and dreams of their own. If they want to open their business that is fantantstic. But if you are doing a great job some companies offer boneses to keep you there they offer raises to keep you there. It works sometimes because customers are comming to see you and not the boss, its your work ethic that the customers wnats that is all I mean.
Then you have to choose or decide what you want to do. Make the sacrifice yourself or help a business to grow as long as you are growing with it. That is always a hard decision to make. that is why some stay and some open a barber shop
Long Time rsident it has been fun chatting with you over a friendsly difference of opinion I have enjoyed it tremendoiusly.
But my question still remains: do you think that an employee ought to (and be expected to) set aside his/her own best interests or dreams, because his or her boss is nice and respectful? I don’t think it matters whether or not it’s genuine or calculated (if it’s calculated though, it’s not really being nice or respectful).
I just don’t see how any of that relates to whether or not an employee should or shouldn’t open up a competing business. If the boss doesn’t want his/her employees to become competitors, the business owner can always make a reasonable non-compete agreement part of employment. Of course, that means the employees will actually be employees, and the business owner will have to accept the reduced profit that comes with payroll. Business owners don’t get to have their cake and eat it too.
Dear Long Time resident, No I do not mean for a boss to be nice just to be nice but to respect an employee and be understanding when things go wrong and pay an employee properly so it is mutual respect. Nojust to be nice to keep an empoyee there. Not every business where a boss treats and worker properly. Or waiting fora better job to show up or cannot affort toquit and be out of work. I understnd that I have been there and done that. I am saying sometimes you get lucky with a boss that is undrerstanding and pays you and understnds when things go wrong. Maybe I have an unusual job with a super boss I do not know. Or mauybe I am just very lucky. I am not a kid anywone and neither is my boss but I work and think llike an owner and care aboiut what I do. I cannot say that aboiut everyone else. Again just my opinion
Is your position that a “boss” by just being nice and respectful is reason enough for an employee to set aside their own best interests in favor of the boss? Employee/employer relationships are business relationships first and foremost. That’s why when the economy tanks, bosses let people go. They can’t hang on to employees they can’t afford to pay. It would ruin the business. At-will employment cuts both ways. Don’t like it? Offer employees a contract. What’s that? Too expensive? Okay. Don’t. But that means they get to leave when ever they want, and maybe even become a competitor. That’s business.
Maybe there’s a need for another barber shop in Sunnyside. I don’t know as I tend to not notice them all that much since I don’t go to barber shops. I don’t really think the former employee did something “wrong” by striking out on his own. At worst, the choice of location is a questionable business decision.
Dear Long Time resident, I completely agree with you bosses cannot have it both ways but If you have the luck of working for someone that does respect you and the professionalism that you bring to his or her business then you have something special going on. When a boss takes advantage and disrespects and employee than you are right for that attitude. I think this is now apparant more and more. I guess yoiu have to get lucky with your boss that has the right chemistry for you to both succeed and have staying power. Maybe these bosses do not know how to run a business or they are power hungry. usually they do not stay in business long either.
Dear Sunnysider,
No doubt, if all employers understood the value of their employees, customers would benefit. But, as we have witnessed in the last couple of years, workforce reduction is often the first thing to happen when there is an economic slow down. That has been the case since Neutron Jack and Chainsaw Al.
Unfortunately, that’s the reality.
Beyond that, one can’t ignore that many salons/barber shops rent out their chairs, essentially making their “employees” tenants. If an “employer” would like a bit of loyalty and certainty that his/her “employees” aren’t going to open up a shop in direct competition to them, the “employer” can put their people on payroll, and have a non-compete agreement stipulating that they can’t open up a competing business within X number of blocks. Of course, if the business owner does that, they’ll be responsible and on the hook for for payroll taxes, social security, health insurance, unemployment benefits, etc. Business owners can’t have it both ways.
Dear Long Time resident, In my opinion by having long term workers it allows and business to grow and the wokers to grow with the business. The worders become very valuable to the business because their custoers are looking for the same service that they have been getting for many yeears. it is called a following which is like gold to have it any developing a customer base that you donot lose. I am very old fashioned in my thinking by this system does work very well in my opinioin. When yoiu change it and leave customers have to mke a decision and the owner as well to keep you there and find new help is not so easy to find in my opinion
But it is also very important to start your own business if you really have a passion for what you are doing. I just would not do it on top or nearby your old boss in my opinion
Of course there’s no loyalty to employers. Long gone are the days when someone could expect to work for one company for their entire lives. That hasn’t been a reality since…what the 80s? The social contract of employee/employer loyalty has been broken for quite some time.
Besides, considering most barber shops/salons rent out their chairs, and many stylists/barbers hope to open their own establishment one day, loyalty in that particular sector has never been expected.
At least the awning signage is fairly tasteful.
Queens Boulevard is very different from Greenpoint Avenue where the other shop is. I like the shop on Greenpoint Avenue. This happens all the time: employees leave and open their own businesses. My question is, how do they all expect to survive? We are surrounded by haircutters and manicurists as well as 99 cent stores. I am sad about the Rose closing: I liked their food. I will never understand how other diners are surviving.
I do not know how someone can open a buisness 2 blocks away from a business that you have been working for and take an employee with you and help to kill your former bosses business. Is their no loyality anymore to former bosses, am I a little old fashioned, What happens if this business does not go well is his former boss going to give him his job back. I would have opened further away and let my customers know where I am so they still use my services but this is me not anone else. What does anyone else think? Am I right or wrong