With his men’s barbershop on the Square, Caleb Carrasco said he hopes to offer clients a space for more than just cleaning up a hairstyle or beard.

“An appointment takes 30 minutes, [but] I think some of the guys, they will be here an hour or longer just shooting the breeze,” Carrasco said. “I think every barber, at least a good portion of barbers, go into this wanting that.”

Carrasco moved Mad Hatters Brim Shop & Shave Parlor onto the Square in March after initially opening inside the Co-Op salon collective on West Eighth Street.

Mad Hatters, with second-floor windows overlooking the south facade of the Williamson County Courthouse, offers a range of men’s grooming services, including $20 haircuts and add-on services such as beard trims, straight-razor shaves and facials. The business also sells men’s hats in several styles and brands.

Carrasco said his father, Gabriel, played a significant role in mentoring and developing Mad Hatters.

Prior to entering the barbering trade, Carrasco was a restaurant manager at the former Iron Cactus restaurant in Northwest Austin, he said. After becoming enamored with the styling industry, Carrasco trained at the Academy of Hair Design in Austin.

“I really just fell in love with the barbering lifestyle, culture and history,” Carrasco said. “It struck a chord with me.”

Carrasco plans to bring on an additional barber at Mad Hatters this summer. The expansion will allow him to launch his own custom-made line of men’s hats, he said.

Moving his business onto the Square holds significance for Carrasco, he said. Having been born and raised in Georgetown, Carrasco said he relishes the opportunity to contribute to the character of the city’s historic center.

“I feel I owe the community a lot,” Carrasco said. “I take that with a lot of responsibility.”