MATC alumnus Zach Marsh runs a tiki-themed barbershop in Wisconsin
Zach Marsh, owner of Southpaw Barbershop
The tropics of Tonga, the sparkling teal ocean of Tahiti and the tasty surf waves of Waikiki Beach are thousands of miles away from the thoroughly four-season Wisconsin city of St. Francis. For Zach Marsh, a balmy tropical paradise is close — it’s on East Layton Avenue and he visits there almost every day. Nestled inside Serendipity Hair Salon, owned by his sister, Whitney Snow, is a world in epic contrast to the long suburban strip mall, paved streets and oak trees: an enchanting sanctuary of bamboo, carved tiki statues and fanciful bac bac mattings; where painted skulls dangle from the ceiling and wooden arrows puncture the walls; where tiki mugs and exotic swizzle sticks are proudly displayed; where surf music and brandy-scented aftershave fill the air. Aloha and welcome to Southpaw Barbershop, believed to be the only tiki-themed barbershop in Wisconsin. Marsh, a 2016 graduate of MATC’s Barber program, has owned the shop since 2018 and went with the tiki theme in 2022. “It’s about the vibe,” said Marsh, a 47-year-old with a coiffed head of dark hair and a neatly-trimmed beard.
He sports Clark Kent eyeglasses and a brash Hawaiian shirt. Sometimes he wears a hep cat fedora. Tattoos cover both arms. “I want to transport customers to Tahiti, to Polynesia, to a place that doesn’t have snow and cold, to any place where they would want to relax.” And relaxing is what his clients do when they visit Southpaw. Marsh takes his time, spending at least 45 minutes with each customer, chatting, cracking jokes, asking questions and connecting. “I never wanted to do 15- or 20-minute haircuts,” he said. “I want to give customers a longer experience, a better experience.” So far, it’s working. Marsh is booked for weeks at a time. He was recently featured in an article on the website OnMilwaukee. In a recent issue of Exotica Moderne magazine, he got a two-page spread. He has become a fixture at tiki culture events around the country. While he’s not big into social media, his few Instagram posts have attracted customers from Austria, the United Kingdom, New York City and Los Angeles. “I have customers from all walks of life,” he said. “Everyone is welcome. All I ask is that you are positive and happy.”
A youth adrift
It took a while for Marsh to become the barber he is today. After graduating from South Milwaukee High School in 1997, he headed to MATC, where his mother, Rae Lynn Marsh, worked as a psychology instructor, for the first of three stints at the college. But he was more interested in skateboarding than studying. “I was a lost young man,” he said. “The last thing I wanted to do was work hard.” He tried various careers. He returned to MATC for a second time and enrolled in the Emergency Medical Technician program. At 23, he married Jennifer, a Registered Nursing graduate. A year later they had a son, then a second son in 2005. With a family to support, Marsh took a job at an auto dealership, repairing cars and working as a service advisor. On that job he learned the fine points of customer service. “Everybody wants to be treated well,” he said. “Greeting people. Using first names. Smiling. Being knowledgeable about what you’re doing.
That’s all huge and I think it’s lacking these days.” After 11 years, Marsh was ready for a change. He craved an outlet for his interest in style, fashion and creativity. He landed on barbering. “I always had great haircuts when I was a kid,” he said. “I was the guy in sixth grade who had frosted tips.” In January 2016, he enrolled in MATC’s Barber program and graduated the following October. “I took to it pretty well,” he said. “I was testing out what I was learning with my family and friends in my basement. I discovered I had a passion for barbering.” His MATC instructors emphasized the power of personal connection, and Marsh learned his lessons well, said Victor Zarate, lead faculty of the MATC Barber program. “Zach is passionate about the profession and demonstrates this through his creativity,” Zarate said. “Imparting high-quality customer service and a welcoming environment speak to what he is all about.”
Island of tranquility
After working in a South Milwaukee salon for two years, he went out on his own in 2018. His business survived the COVID-19 pandemic, which shuttered nearly half of the nation’s barber shops and beauty salons, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration, an independent federal agency that helps Americans start, build and grow businesses. Marsh’s style of taking his time and being personable bore fruit. His regular client list grew. So did his love of all things tiki. He started to frequent Foundation, a tiki bar in Milwaukee’s Riverwest neighborhood, and others across the country. Marsh began collecting mugs, postcards, matchbooks, ashtrays, artwork, vintage masks and woodcrafts. In 2022, he merged his two loves into a tiki-themed shop, a place where clients would be immersed in the sights and sounds of the tropics and get personalized service. He did some research and couldn’t find any tiki barbershops in the country. “I was nervous when I first opened,” Marsh said. “This is an extremely competitive business. But I thought I had something unique to offer.”
Marsh’s customer Brett certainly thinks so. He’s been coming to Southpaw practically since it opened. On a sunny, frosty February morning, he arrived for an appointment. He needed his hair cut and his long, thick beard trimmed for his brother’s wedding. While chatting with Brett, Marsh worked slowly, expertly clipping and razoring away hair. He lathered up soap in a ceramic tiki cup, dabbed it on Brett’s neck and sharpened a bright silver straight razor. “Zach is such a cool guy and this is such a cool place,” Brett said. “He’s a great guy to talk to. I’ve always left here happy.” Brett took one last look in the mirror and smiled. Every hair was neatly in place. His neck was shaved smooth; his beard snipped to the perfect length. A few splashes of brandy-scented aftershave were the perfect finishing touch to his relaxing 45-minute session. “Bingo,” Brett said. “You got it.” “That’s the goal,” said Marsh, as he whisked away hair from the 100-year-old chair that clients use. “I want people to leave with exactly what they asked for.”