Sugar Creek Barber Shop owner Victor Amaya has been cutting hair in the Greater Houston area for almost 17 years.
In October 2000, Amaya quit his job as a machine operator at United Salt Corp. and enrolled at R. S. Institute Barber College, at the persuasion of his own barber, Sam Zurovec. When he was not in class, Amaya spent his time at Zurovec’s shop repairing barber tools, such as clippers and blow-dryers, he said.
After getting his barber’s license in August 2001, Amaya worked a few months for Zurovec but found it difficult to build a client base.
“I was working with a guy that had four—working on five—generations of customers,” Amaya said. “They were completely loyal to him. Nobody was sitting in my chair.”
Amaya went to work for barber Willy Berea at West Memorial Barber Shop where he remained until January 2005. That year, Amaya bought what is now Sugar Creek Barber Shop, borrowing against the equity in his home to help raise the money.
“Basically, I came to a crossroad when I was working with Willy,” Amaya said. “Either plant myself and stay here and be quiet or try it myself.”
Sugar Creek Barber Shop opened for business in February 2005.Sugar Creek barbershop offers a variety of grooming services for children, men, and women, offering facials, shaves, haircuts, and neck massages
It took two to three years before the business started turning a profit, he said. The hardest part of buying the business was overcoming the mental hurdle and following through—quitting his job, taking the leap of changing direction in life and starting a business, Amaya said.
“I came to a realization when I was here like, ‘Man, I just bought this place,’” he said. “Basically, trying to tell myself, ‘There’s no room for failure; you’re going to have to do this.’”
Amaya said he is happy with the way business is going, and his clients are more like his friends—people he jokes and chats with. One client whose hair Amaya has been cutting since he was 8-years-old is now going to college in the fall, he said
“I love what I do, and I’ll probably be working till I die,” Amaya said.
Sugar Creek Barber Shop
13507 Hwy. 59, Sugar Land
281- 242-2808
www.facebook.com/Sugar-Creek-Barber-Shop-168697771362
Hours: Tue.-Fri.: 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Sat.: 8 a.m.-3 p.m., closed Sundays, Mondays
