Caught in the act: Joe takes care of one of his regular customers, Bob Brideau.

Story and photos by Meghan McPhillips-Jones

Need a new look for the Holidays? You’re just in luck, because Joe Blaquiere has moved his barber’s shop to Lunenburg!

    Joe’s Barber Shop, previously located on Summer Street in Fitchburg, moved earlier this month to 88 Massachusetts Ave., and he is now open for business. Joe’s new shop boasts new leather chairs and clean white walls.

     “I was [on Summer Street] for four years, and I have been telling my customers I was moving for the past three months,” he said. “I’ve heard Lunenburg is a good community, and I look forward to meeting new clients here.”

    Most of his Fitchburg clientele have found their way to Blaquiere’s new home,  including barbershop regular Bob Brideau.

    “He is a meticulous barber, all right. He can’t get rid of me!” Brideau said.

    Specializing in men’s cuts and senior’s styles, Joe says he has some of the best prices around, with most cuts costing $12 and under.

    “I know our prices are lower when compared to most of the local chains, that’s one thing we have always been able to say, that our prices are reasonable,” he said.

    Joe says he happily welcomes in his  regular clientele but has eagerly opened his doors to the Lunenburg community in hopes of establishing new relationships.

    “We moved because we wanted a bigger location, and we are looking to build up to a family business clientele,” he said. “In fact, we are currently offering a special to new clients, $7 for a haircut if it is your first time here.”

    If you’re wondering about his training, Blaquiere has been a barber for over 13 years. He got his start, training with some talented barbers.

    “I trained at a place called Hairsmyth in Worcester. I worked under probably the best barber out of all the shops in Worcester, a man named George Bamikas. Another good teacher there was Mike Ameido, they were just great."

    Before becoming a barber, Blaquiere worked for 11 years at Digital in Westminster. There, a co-worker and friend, Mike Beauregard said to him: “Ya know, you would make a good barber, you fit the profile. I know that profile, and you’re it.”

    Blaquiere said his friend knew that Joe would make a good barber, "on instinct." It was an observation that his friend just said to him one day, and Joe went with it.

    “And so two weeks later, I was enrolled in the barbers program. It was supposed to be a part-time thing, but then Digital started laying people off,” said Joe. “Thank god I had the training by the time I was laid off!”

    “Now I’m hoping that people will look at my shop as the place to go,” he said.

    So call today to book an appointment and meet Joe!