Tacoma’s LGBTQIA+ Inclusive Barbershop
A queer-owned barbershop tucked inside the Tacoma Armory โ corner of S Yakima Ave and 11th Street. Cuts, color, and fades for everybody. Zero judgment at the door.
We’re The Barber Collective. Two barbers, two stylists, one deeply intentional space.
TBC started in a garage in 2020 โ alleyway entrance, no signage, just word of mouth and good work. Three years and three locations later, we’re still doing the same thing: giving great haircuts in a space where you actually feel like yourself walking through the door.
If you’ve ever walked into a barbershop or salon and something felt off โ the vibe, the music, the twenty sets of eyes โ you already know why this place exists.
What we do
Whether you’re coming in for a fresh fade, a beard trim, a full cut and style, or you’re not even sure what you want yet โ we’ve got you. Our team works across the full spectrum of hair textures, lengths, and identities.
Services include:
- Haircuts & fades
- Beard trims & shaping
- Hot Towel Straight Razor Shaves
- Color & styling
- Braiding/Locs
- Consultations (seriously, ask questions โ we like them)
We book online. Walk-ins welcome when space allows. Give us a call to see if we can squeeze you in.
OUR HERSTORY
FROM NOTHING, SOMETHING
Georgette Watje is a 40-something lesbian barber who opened TBC in her garage, mid-quarantine, because Tacomaโs Queer Community deserved better options. That first location had an alleyway entrance. No sign. Just a chair, some clippers, and a vision.
Now we’re in our third location โ inside the beautiful Tacoma Armory building โ and the team has grown. But the mission hasn’t moved an inch.
The Barber Collective exists because finding a good barbershop just wasnโt good enough. We wanted you to find the best, Queer barbershop. It has never just been about the cut. It’s about walking in and knowing you belong there.
You Are Needed Here.
Our Services
5 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, But Weโre OLD SOULS
Short Cut
How short/long you like your sides? How short/long you like the top? From there we can talk details:
Fade (gradient in length from top to bottom), Taper (a gradual blend at the sideburn and back of the neck), Neckline (Tapered, blocked, rounded) Texture (added after the top has been cut usually for volume or a messy look) Buzz Cut (same length all over using clippers).
In the barber game showing is better than telling. Bring Georgette a pic of what youโd like your hair to look like. Hair texture, density, and porosity varies from person to person.
Beard Trim
Our personal favorite; you wonโt be disappointed. The word Barber comes from the word โBarbaโ, meaning beard.
If your barber doesnโt do beards, are they really a barber? When you face the mirror, what shape do you like at the bottom of your beard? Do you like rounded, squared, or pointed? Do you like the sideburn blended into the beard? Maybe you want your beard disconnected from your sideburns. How clean do you like your cheek line? Do you like all of the outlying beard hair cleaned up or do you like a more natural looking cheek line?
After a beard trim, youโll receive a beard balm, oil, and/or salve treatment to keep it looking and feeling fresh long after you leave the chair.
Shaves
This is the ultimate โfeel goodโ item on the menu. Lay back and let TBC bring your entire face back to life.
First is hot towel #1 soaked in essential oil to your face to open up the pores. We’ll apply a hot shaving lather to moisturize and clean your facial follicles. Hot towel #2. Hot lather kicks off the real fun. With a Feather brand straight razor, your hair will seem to melt off. Then hot towel #3 followed by a cooling shave gel. Stubborn areas will get extra attention. Hot towel #4.
We’ll use Willow Tea, witch hazel, or Bay Rum as a skin coolant/anti-inflammatory depending upon your skin sensitivity. A cold towel closes up the pores & relieves your skin. We apply a dab of cucumber oil to help moisturize the skin while you enjoy a facial massage to end the treatment.
OUR PRICING
CHOOSE YOUR STYLE
All scissor short cut
50
60 minutes
Neck Shave
10
After your haircut, enjoy a hot towel neck shave that will leave you zen and rejuvenated
10 minutes
Bang trim
15
Just what it says. Got bangs!? Nae will get them out of your eyes!
30 minutes
Beard Trim
30
Shaping and trimming of the beard/mustache as well as clean up on the cheek and neckline
30 minutes
Blow out
25
30 minutes
BUZZ CUT
25
Same length all over
15 minutes
Color Consultation
15
If youโre looking to get color done, hereโs where you start! Nae will have you come in, listen to your ideas, come up with a plan, and set an appointment for your color! The $15 for this appointment goes towards your color session
30 minutes
Long Cut / Scissor Cut
60
Hair length at the shoulders or longer. No clipper used unless thereโs an undercut
60 minutes
One length Long Hair Trim
30
60 minutes
Shag cut/razor cut
55
This is for the peeps looking for that longer, fuller, trendy layered cut. A blend of clipper, shear, and feather razor. These are your longer mullets, shags, and fringes
60 minutes
Short Cut / Clipper Cut
40
A haircut that requires clippers to shape sides and around the ears, shears used on top and finish around the perimeter with a trimmer
30 minutes
Shave Design
15
Shampoo/Conditioner
10
30 minutes
Short cut / Clipper cut + Beard trim
60
Haircut using clippers and shears followed by a beard trim including shaping/trimming of the beard/mustache with clean up of the cheek and neck line
45 minutes
Skin Fade
45
Haircut that requires straight razor or foil shaver at the bottom
35 minutes
Straight Razor Face Shave
45
Hot towels/ Shave Cream/ Straight Razor/ Cooling Aftershave/ Witch Hazel/ Facial massage
60 minutes
Straight Razor Head Shave
40
Hot towels/ Shave Cream/ Straight Razor/ Cooling Aftershave/ Witch Hazel/ Facial massage
60 minutes
Transformation Cut/Consultation (Clippers and Scissors)
60
Long to Short!! Have long hair and want to do a big chop? Not quite sure what you’re looking for and need to talk it through with your barber for a bit before committing? This is the service for you.
60 minutes
Transformation Cut/Consultation (Scissors/Razor only)
65
Long to Short!! Have long hair and want to do a big chop? Not quite sure what you’re looking for and need to talk it through with your barber for a bit before committing? This is the service for you.
60 minutes
Undercut clean up
10
For those who already have an undercut and you need it fresh and clean! ***If you need an undercut created, please book a short cup/clipper cut
30 minutes
WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY
WE FEELINโ THE LOVE
Georgette has been my barber for five years now. Cuts have always been quick, perfect, with serious attention to detail.
โI’ve been going to G for a while now and couldn’t have been more happy that she opened her own spot. G’s skills with the scissors are equally matched with the cool vibe of her shop and her ease of making conversation. Supporting G as a local business owner goes further than just getting a great cut. She is an inspiration to me for being an ally to some many in the community, she not only speaks it but lives it as well. If you haven’t gotten a dope cut from G, I couldn’t recommend it more.โ
โLove getting my haircut by Georgette. Always delivers a dapper classic cut that gets me a lot of compliments. A blend of old school with a stylish twist. Good conversation too. The new shop has a great feel with lots of vintage character. Thanks Georgetteโย ย ย
TBC Merch & Apparel
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TBC PRIDE EDITION: 2026 Pride Clippers Tri-Blend TeePrice range: $30.00 through $32.00 -
TBC Civilian Clippers Unisex HoodiePrice range: $45.00 through $49.00
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TBC PRIDE EDITION: Beyond The Binary Tri-Blend TeePrice range: $30.00 through $34.00
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TBC PRIDE EDITION: You Are Needed โ Gray Tri-Blend TeePrice range: $30.00 through $36.00
Barber Collective News
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Read Post : TBC in the News Tribune
TBC is grateful for the recent coverage of our story in The News Tribune. The Barber Collective started in Watjeโs garage in 2020 and grew. Currently the shop is housed in the back of The Mill at 515 6th Ave., and opened there in September. In December when the business The Barber Collective was subletting…
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Read Post : Um, we got a MERCH SHOP for the shop, y’all!
I donโt even know where to start. I guess at the beginning. A good friend and I were discussing a popular meme that pops up every so often, especially around Pride. The original piece of art was an 1880 political cartoon by Thomas Nast. A skeleton bearing a banner saying โcommunistโ and a burning torch…
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Read Post : Bold Together with OL Reign
If someone wouldโve told me, way back in 2017, that I would be cutting the hair of two Queer soccer players in my unfinished garage, I wouldโve laughed in your face. It all started when Kyllian Perrin came in for a haircut. He was wearing an OL Reign track suit. After the usual intros and…
LOVE GEORGETTE. Will totally listen to your wants and needs of your look, and you will leave her chair feeling awesome.