ROGERS, Ark. — Haircuts and bike repair may seem like an unlikely combination, but the owners of Stay True Bike and Barber in Rogers say the two go together perfectly.
“Biking is huge here, and everybody needs haircuts,” co-owner Brandon Licatino said.
With decades of experience as a barber and a long-time love for biking, opening a business that combines both seemed like a natural move for Licatino.
“I started off racing around BMX bikes, and I was pretty serious as a kid. My parents owned a bike shop,” Licatoni said. “I started cutting hair when I grew up, but I was still riding bikes and breaking bones before I decided to stop riding.”
After a long break from biking and focusing on his career as a barber, Brandon and his wife Twyla Licatino moved from Houston to Rogers, where they found a great fit for their idea.
“There are so many awesome bike shops around, and so we just wanted to cater a little more to a dirt jumping style, BMX style, offer some skateboarding, and just kind of add to the overall vibe of the biking community,” said Twyla Licatino.
The Licatinos said Stay True is the first of its kind – a place where bike mechanics and barbers work side by side.
Brandon Licatino said he wanted to create an atmosphere where men could bond over common interests.
“Barbers sitting across from bike mechanics and kind of chopping it up and talking … it's a place we can go and be ourselves, and we're around the stuff that we like,” Licatino said.
He said the overarching goal is to build community and have fun.
“It’s about staying true to yourself. For me, I got real serious in life and forgot to have fun, so it's a good reminder to have fun and not get too far away from who you are,” Licatino said.
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