For many men, a haircut is another appointment squeezed into an already packed schedule. The founders of The Upper Seat want it to feel like something more meaningful.
Located in Midtown Manhattan’s Garment District, the new men’s grooming and lifestyle club combines traditional barbering with facials, manicures, beard services, espresso, and space to slow down. Its founders, Fallou Bathily, Jonathan Reyes, and Chec, created the concept after recognizing that men increasingly want more from their grooming routines than a quick cut and a trip back to work.
“We didn’t want to create another barbershop with nicer chairs and higher prices,” Bathily told Men’s Journal. “We wanted to build a destination where grooming, hospitality, wellness, and lifestyle could coexist.”
The club’s name “Upper Seat” represents confidence, elevation, and the belief that every client deserves to feel like a priority, regardless of his profession, background, or personal style.
“When someone walks through our doors, I want them to feel that they’ve stepped away from the noise of New York City,” Bathily said. “For the next hour, everything is about them.”
The idea is particularly personal for Bathily. Like many entrepreneurs, he has felt the pressure to constantly build, solve problems, and show up for others while neglecting his own needs.
“As men, we’re often conditioned to be providers, problem-solvers, and the people everyone can depend on,” he explained. “You can’t continuously pour into everyone else without taking a moment to refill yourself.”
At The Upper Seat, that reset begins before a barber reaches for the clippers.
Inclusivity is central to the concept. Bathily said the club seeks barbers who understand different hair textures and techniques, but technical knowledge is only one requirement.
“Every client has a different relationship with their hair, their appearance and their identity,” he said. “We don’t believe in imposing one definition of what a well-groomed man should look like.”
Signature haircuts start at $80, while monthly memberships begin at $165 and extend to a limited $595 tier with after-hours access. Bathily believes the value comes from expertise, consistency, hospitality, and the relationship established between the client and barber.
He also sees the club as part of a wider change in men’s grooming. Clients are becoming more curious about skincare, scalp care, facials and manicures, even if they have never tried those services before.
“Taking care of yourself isn’t about vanity,” Bathily said. “It’s about confidence, wellness and self-respect.”
The long-term vision extends beyond opening additional barbershops. Bathily wants The Upper Seat to become a lifestyle platform that brings together grooming, culture, wellness and conversations with athletes, artists and entrepreneurs.
“The Upper Seat isn’t just about how you look when you leave,” he said. “It’s about how you feel and what you carry with you afterward.”
