Building an Empire: How Aztec Empire Barbershop is using its growth to inspire positive change within the community
It’s a special Sunday at Aztec Empire Barbershop. Angel Arriola, the owner and founder, has opened his doors for a unique client day. This event occurs every two to three months, and today, Aztec is offering discounted haircuts to about 50 teenage boys from Discovery Ranch. Discovery Ranch is a wellness facility renowned for its holistic approach to providing personalized care and support to help young men overcome mental health challenges. Their goal is to assist these teens in building resilience and gaining skills to thrive throughout their lives.
“I try to help as much as I can in the community,” Angel says, highlighting just one of the many ways he gives back to the community that has significantly supported him and his family.
Rewind to about seven years ago when Angel was in a completely different job sector. He regularly put in over 60-hour work weeks, which meant that he and his wife, Rosa Arriola, hardly ever saw each other. The strain on their family life was evident, and they knew they needed a change.
“He decided that he wanted to go to school to cut hair,” Rosa, now co-founder and co-owner, explained. “That way, as our son grew up, he would be able to be more involved, because at the time, he just wasn’t home a lot.”
So, Angel went to school and started working part-time at a barbershop in Provo, Utah. He worked there for about a year, but the owner’s lack of reliability
was an issue. “Some days, we weren’t even sure if the shop was going to be open.” Shared Angel. Despite the mismanagement, he enjoyed the work.
As Angel built up his clientele, the desire to start something of their own began to grow. In 2018, when the opportunity presented itself, they took the leap and opened Aztec Empire Barbershop on Main Street in Spanish Fork, Utah.
“We specialize in all kinds of textured hair and different hair types,” Angel says. “Many of our customers have different types of hair, and there’s not a lot of places they can go.”
It’s not just about understanding the different hair types and textures; it’s also about recognizing the uniqueness of each individual. Knowing what the client is looking for when they come in is part of the tailored experience Aztec customers know and love about the shop. Angel explains that not all haircuts look the same on different textures.
“Customers usually come in with some kind of inspiration, and we use that inspiration to fit the type of haircut or style they want. We can help guide the customer to what would work depending on the type of hair they have, to ultimately give them what they want.”
Customers are all about the personalized approach and it’s one of the key ingredients to Aztec’s success and growth over the years.
Aztec spent three years renting the Main Street location, but as thier lease agreement was coming to an end,they knew they were ready to own their space rather than continue renting. At that time, however, there weren’t any properties availble for purchase in the area. So, they moved to a different location and continued to grow their clientele and business for another three years.
But good things have a way of making their way back home, and in that time, a commercial property space on Main Street became available.
“We decided to go for it and see if we could qualify to get it,” Angel said. It was ultimately their realtor who told them about the SBA 504 program.
The Arriola’s were new to financing and had never taken out a business loan before, but their lender explained the basics of the program (such as the minimum down payment, which is typically much less than needed for a commercial real estate loan) and how the 504 was a good fit for them. Ultimately, the program was created to support small business owners just like them.
Appointments can be made online or over the phone, but they also have a strong social media presence sharing the latest and greatest in cuts, fades, and promotions. Walk-ins are welcome as well – which the new location has helped provide another huge play for the company.
When asked about growth, they’re keen to say that their focus is on providing a quality experience for the customers they have and continuing on this path of consistency. Over the years, customers have witnessed this growth and have noted their recipe for success, with many expressing interest in franchising opportunities.
I feel like I’m old-school; I want to keep our shop as it is,” Angel says. They take quality and consistency seriously and are reluctant to outsource these values to others—unless they find someone they can work closely with and trust to uphold the same standards of consistency and customer service that Aztec is known and loved for.
However, there are other options for growth that extend beyond opening more locations. There is open space in their building, and they have gotten a lot of inquiries from other small businesses about occupying that space. “It could be anything,” he says, “but it would need to be the right fit.”
Ultimately, at Aztec, it’s all about connection. “We care about the people in our community,” Rosa shares, “And our clients feel the same way about us.”
Check out Aztec Empire Barbershop located at 110 N Main St, Spanish Fork, UT 84660