After more than 13 years in the neighborhood, Tomcats Barber Shop (135 India St.) is closed.
Employees say that they received notice two days prior to the October 13th closure via text message from the business owner.
The barbershop had roughly a year left on the lease at 135 India St. when the decision to close was made by the owner, who lives out of state, Tomcats employees say.
Many concerned customers reached out to Greenpointers stating how the barbershop had a tight-knit community feel that can be a rare find in NYC.
Luckily, plans are in the works for the entire Tomcats crew to reopen together, and locally:
“We are certainly sticking together and opening a shop together,” said Manny Zee, a former Tomcats employee of nine years.
The Tomcats crew has enjoyed working together for the past eight years forming a family bond, according to Zee, and in the interim are servicing their clients at shops around the neighborhood until a new lease is signed.
For any clients seeking their former Tomcats barber, Zee recommends reaching out to info@tomcatscrew.com.
“We are all scattered and no one is in any particular spot for long. We are doing what we can to preserve and move forward with our plan,” Zee said adding that he’s looking at a few potential spaces in Greenpoint with hopes to open a new shop in December.
David Arce, a Tomcats barber who Greenpointers profiled in 2015, said that he can be booked at Otis and Finn Barber Shop (197 Franklin St.) just a short walk away from India Street.