Booze and barbershops a good mix, say Kelowna planners

KELOWNA – Booze and barbershops are a good mix.

Planning staff are recommending Kelowna council support an application by Plan B barbers for a liquor primary license, allowing it to serve alcohol to customers while trimming their beards or cutting their hair.

Plan B barbershop and hair salon has been operating for ten years in Kelowna, planner Lydia Korolchuk notes in a report to council.

“They have a successful business which has expanded and renovated twice during this time,” she says.

Providing a better overall experience is the goal of securing the liquor license for the barbershop, which has 20 stations and 22 staff, Korolchuk says.

No more than 30 people, including staff, will be allowed in the shop under the terms of the application and all staff will require Serving It Right certification.

With such a small number of patrons in a largely commercial area, Korolchuk says negative impacts such as noise and safety will be minimal. The shop will be required to adhere to its current operating hours, closing no later than 9 p.m.

Should it be approved, Korolchuk says Plan B will be the second non-traditional liquor primary licensee in Kelowna since provincial liquor license regulations were loosened to allow liquor service in other businesses such as spas and salons.

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