Sterlings Mobile (stylized as STERLINGS Mobile) is a salon and barber service operating out of customized Airstream mobile units. It was established in San Diego in 2012.[1] A particular innovation of Sterlings Mobile is its partnership with corporations. Targeting "busy professionals," the barber shop makes regular stops at company properties, where it is subsidized by them.[2][3]
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Hair care |
| Founded | 2012 |
| Founders | Kush Kapila |
| Headquarters | San Diego , United States |
| Website | sterlingsmobile |
History
editThe company's founder and CEO, Kush Kapila, was inspired by increasingly popular mobile services such as food trucks and pet grooming.[1] His idea for a mobile salon and barber shop won first place at the 2011 UCSD Entrepreneur challenge for a consumer product.[4]
After raising $185,000 of funding, Kapila retrofitted an Airstream trailer as a classic barber shop. Sterlings Mobile launched in 2012 in the greater San Diego area.[5] By August 2013, Sterlings Mobile had a customer following of 1,300.[6][2]
While it started out just doing cuts, the company branched out in the first three years to be a full-service salon and barbershop for men and women, providing other services such as colors, shaves, and threading.[7] By 2015, Sterlings Mobile had multiple Airstreams in operation.[8][9] In 2016 Sterlings added the promotional tour and events division, wrapping the Airstream unit with brand images of companies such as Warner Bros. or Walgreens to provide promotional activities across the United States.[2][10] By 2018, Sterlings Mobile had over 25 unique locations in San Diego.
In 2019, Sterlings Mobile partnered with The Art of Shaving and expanded services to Orange County. Launching at 4 locations around Irvine and Costa Mesa, Sterlings Mobile quickly established itself as the premier mobile salon and barber shop in Southern California. Expansion to the southern arm of The Bay Area was planned for early 2020, although this expansion was halted due to the unprecedented global pandemic of COVID-19, also known as coronavirus.
References
edit- ^ a b "Mobile barber shop markets to busy professionals". The San Diego Union-Tribune. 2 May 2012. Retrieved 2018-03-19.
- ^ a b c "Not your father's barbershop". Concordia University. 3 April 2017. Retrieved 2018-03-19.
- ^ "Sterling's Mobile Barber Company: Grooming on the go". CBS 8. 9 May 2012. Retrieved 2018-03-19.
- ^ "Meet Kush Kapila of Sterlings Mobile Salon & Barber Co". SD Voyager. 15 February 2018. Retrieved 2018-03-19.
- ^ "Your Corner: Salons on Wheel Join Mobile Business Trend". NBC. 30 June 2017. Retrieved 2018-03-19.
- ^ "The Costs and Benefits of Running a Mobile Business". US News. 7 August 2013. Retrieved 2018-03-19.
- ^ "Behind the Business Plan: STERLINGS Mobile". Business News Daily. 28 December 2015. Retrieved 2018-03-19.
- ^ "A Cut Above". Triton. 12 January 2016. Retrieved 2018-03-19.
- ^ "As clicks replace bricks, North Shore mobile businesses on the rise". Chicago Tribune. 4 January 2016. Retrieved 2018-03-19.
- ^ "#BarbershopTour - Official Recap". Ice Cube / Cubevision. 4 April 2016. Retrieved 2018-03-21.