Mr Barber Shop

For as long as he can remember, Samir Asfour entertained thoughts about being a barber. "I always enjoyed cutting hair," he says. "But I've never looked at it as a job. I used to admire my uncle when he used to cut hair and thought it would be a fun thing to do."

Today, he shares ownership of two Mr. Barber Shop franchises (one at 3210 - 82 Street and the other at 1521 - 50 Street) with his brother Mahmed. Their uncle, Mohammed Sweiss, who started Mr. Barber Shop in 2008, runs his own barber school located downtown on Jasper Avenue. The family connection may have been a strong incentive to get into the trade, but according to Samir, the idea of clipping locks and being an entrepreneur is still as fun as when he was a young boy.