Episode Transcript
Speaker 1 00:00:05 All right. Good morning, Fort McMurry. My name is Elliot Pierre, and this is the Mac city morning show. And I know what you're thinking there somewhere different and you better believe we're somewhere different. We are at the thick wood barbershop in thick wood next to the black horse. So we are doing an onsite show today. It's our very first time doing something like this. So please message in the comments. If something's not going right, we need to know, and we will fix it. But we are on location at the thick wood barbershop next to the black horse. Now, before we get going, I'm going to start to show off the same way. Always do. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much for everybody. Who's decided to tune in today. I know you could be doing so many other things with your time, but you've chosen to spend with us and it means the world to me. So thank you very much. Now on that note, Tanner hit him with the intro.
Speaker 0 00:01:00 Welcome to the <inaudible>.
Speaker 1 00:01:09 All right, now that we're back, I've got a very special guest here today. He's very brave for coming into the shop, being our Guinea pig for our first onsite, as per usual, I'm not going to introduce the guests. I'm going to let them do that themselves because they can say their names a lot better than I can. So on that note, sir, can you please introduce yourself to the people at home, tell them who you are and what you're about.
Speaker 2 00:01:31 Good morning guys. My name is <inaudible>. So certainly thank you for having me this morning earlier today. Happy to be with you, um, and go through this experience. It's my first time through and really, really happy to be here. So, um, like I said, like gasoline, so be Fort Mac for about 15 years now. Um, I caught Fort Mac home, um, originally comes to that. So I pick that up from my accent and, uh, yeah, but this has been home for the last 15 years. So I was fortunate to get the opportunity with the boom in the wealth industry. About 15 years ago, I got the opportunity to move over and develop my career in Fort McMurray. And this has been whole minutes. It's been an awesome experience.
Speaker 1 00:02:07 Very cool. So myself and Tanner were born and raised here. We're kind of boring. Our story is that our parents gave birth to us and here we are, but I love my parents are immigrants themselves. So I love to talk to people who are brave enough to leave their homes and come here. It's something that I don't know, I have the guts to do. So the immigration story to me is always fascinating. So you came from South Africa. How did that start? How did you hear about Fort McMurray? Like you literally moved to the opposite end of the world from the bottom to the top hot and cold. How did you hear about it? Why did you come to Fordham?
Speaker 2 00:02:42 Right. Absolutely. So what's really interesting is, um, I think so Africa is probably the furthest you can travel, um, you know, in terms of great years and then going South, um, from, from, from Fort McMurray. Um, but yeah, no, I didn't know anything about Fort Mac. Um, Fort Mac was never something I ever thought about. I didn't think of myself being here, um, from an engineering field, um, the mining industry. Um, so at the time I worked for one of the gold mines back home until Africa, um, I basically left that to consulting. Um, and as I got towards the end of my communities, I was kind of thinking about what the next steps were and I want to get back into mainstream mining, mining production, so to speak. And I started looking around, um, in the local newspaper, there was an ad, um, looking for mining engineers, um, didn't really know much about some code.
Speaker 2 00:03:28 Didn't really look into what Canada is about in the world signs and all the rest of it. So I decided to apply thinking, well, here's an opportunity for me to go get out and see the world and, you know, do something different, develop my career internationally. Um, have you been back, um, from Suncor for a while? Couple of months. And then one day I just got a phone call saying that they were interested in speaking to me and then I thought, well, you know, that wouldn't happen right. Then maybe we just going to have a conversation and look at it, move on from there. And lo and behold, I got the opportunity and yeah, and 14 years later. So, um, when I first got to Fort Mac, um, I, well, first Canada, first of all, I'd never seen snow because the first time I got experienced snow, um, I stayed for one night in town, me before flying over into Fort Mac, didn't see the city because I'm sure anyone flying into Fort Mac who learned pretty quick, you just see the forest.
Speaker 2 00:04:19 And I was like, what did I do? Where am I going to? Um, but eventually, you know, I kind of landed. Um, and eventually once you leave the airport and you've come down the Hill all the way from Gregoire and you're kind of a city opens up. And for the first time I realized, well, that is the city. This is the city that I've decided to make home at the time. There was still a bit of uncertainty. I didn't know how long I'd be here for. I thought, wow, you're not going to do it short term. You get some experience and move on. Um, but Fort Mac, one of those places, it just kind of grows on you. Um, you know, and eventually it became old. So, you know, met a lot of great people, um, still meeting a lot of great people, uh, which basically becomes your family that had fought maps and right. It's about community. So what kept me up for 15 years community. Okay.
Speaker 1 00:05:04 That's awesome. No, I love it. And I think that is the story of Fort McMurray. My background prior to doing this was human resources and I would hire people to come up and they always said, yeah, I'll come up a five-year plan. I'm here for five. And I'm like, Oh yeah. Talk to me in five years and let's see where you're at. And like you said, people just, they, they grow roots in the community and they make it their home. They really do. I find what Fort McMurray has is everybody for the most part outside of me and Tanner, um, comes from somewhere else. So your next door neighbor or the people you work with, they understand like, Oh, I've gone through what you've gone through. So they're more prone to help you out and welcome you because they've led your story before. So I find that's a big thing. So now that you're in this community, uh we're at ethically barbershop. So let's talk about that. How did you, uh, get to the barbershop? How did you meet Allie and the boys? This is obviously your go-to place. That's why you're here today. So let's hear that story.
Speaker 2 00:06:02 Well, interestingly enough, um, so I live just across the road at 600 block. So I lived in 600 block for about 10 years and that signal Hill. Um, so yeah, it was easy for me. I just kind of stumbled over, um, you know, it's a barbershop is, is really important. It's part of my life. Um, it's something I do at least one once a week. Um, and, uh, so it was pretty convenient for me. So I happened to bump it to, um, the shop. Just kind of wondering about the complex over here and uh, yeah, no. So ever since then, this is where I come, you know, it's just, it's, it's an amazing place. Yeah.
Speaker 1 00:06:37 So it really is. Okay. So that's how you came to sicker barbershop. I like it. All right, Lancaster, that's it for today. Thank you very much for being part of the show. Really do appreciate it. Um, you and I were talking a lot prior to the filming of this. Um, I'd love to do a longer show with you. So you've seen the show before. I'd love to have you in the living room to come back and talk again. Um, but thank you so much for being part of this first, uh, onsite location. Well, we're going to switch you out now and you're going to switch with Mark. So Mark is going to come in and we're going to say peace out for the rest of the day, but thank you so much for making the time and, uh, coming and talking to me today. I really do appreciate it.
Speaker 1 00:07:15 Awesome. Thank you on Castro. All right. Now we got Mark coming in and mourning Elliott more than Mark. How are you doing? All right. Good. I'm doing good now for everybody at home. This is Mark. Now the reason we got Mark here is because he puts Allie on blast. Almost every time I come into the barbershop to do a video and he's like, Oh, I can do it. Ali put me on camera. So when we decided to do a on-site location, we were just like, okay, Mark, we're putting you on camera. So how you doing today? Good. So let's talk about your story and how you found Fick with barbershop. It's a good one. It makes me laugh.
Speaker 2 00:07:52 Um, so I used to work in Edmonton. I was there for around seven years in the apartment ministry and, um, I hate to GG thick with the barbershops in Fort McMurray. And I got connected with Ali's cousin. Right. He passed me over tally and within three days I was here, right? Yes. And it's been a beautiful experience, man. Yeah. I've been here for three years. Okay. And the community here in Fort McMurray is amazing that you feel like you're at home wherever you are important. Okay. So you need good people, real talk and chit chat. You have a good time at the barber shop. Yeah. So it's different from where I used to work in Edmonton. Okay. So that's, what's so beautiful about here and that's what kept me here.
Speaker 1 00:08:35 Yeah. Yeah. Now you're talking to guide you. You like to talk from, people are here for sure. So you meet all kinds of people when they come,
Speaker 2 00:08:43 I hear a lot of different stories and I thought they might at the barbershop. I love him. Yeah.
Speaker 1 00:08:48 That's awesome. Yeah. So in regards to becoming a barber, how does that work in regards to like, is this something like you saw friends and family do, or what got you into this career?
Speaker 2 00:08:59 Most of my family were in Barbara, in the barber industry where I wasn't at all, but there was something I wanted to learn. So I learned it. I got into it. I loved it. And I started being good at it. So, and here I am now, seven years later, man. Seven years you've been in Barbara. Yeah. Wow. Yes ma'am
Speaker 1 00:09:16 Okay. Now like myself, you have a beard. And I used to have long hair kind of like, you know, my hair is short and he's throwing it out. What I'm doing, what I've lost, you decided to pick up. So let's talk. There's a lot of gentlemen that watches show what's trendy right now. When it comes to, if you come into the barbershop, what do you think most people are asking for?
Speaker 2 00:09:36 The skin feeds are very popular skin, long hair, business, haircuts, long beach where everything's Bobby is what you wear, man.
Speaker 1 00:09:43 Yes. Okay. And so what do you like to do? What do you like to do in regards to when somebody comes in here, if you had to give them a recommendation, you have to say beer, what do you think?
Speaker 2 00:09:52 It depends on his style, on, on his face features, you know, everything is for somebody. You know what I mean?
Speaker 1 00:09:58 I like that. So you listened to what they have to say.
Speaker 2 00:10:01 You got to listen to what they want. Of course what they're going for. Everybody wants to change up every once in a while,
Speaker 1 00:10:06 Right? Yes. That's my biggest thing for everybody listening at home. When I came into thick with barbershop and I'm not going to put any other barbershops or salons. Cause I used to go to a lot of salons to get my hair and stuff done. Um, my beef quote, unquote with them was they would never listen. I would say like, Hey, this is what I know what I have. This is what I'm trying to do. And they'd be like, Oh, but you look so good. Now we're going to keep it how it is. And I'm like, nah, I don't
Speaker 2 00:10:31 Want you to always.
Speaker 1 00:10:34 So then when I came in to Allie, I think the barbershop next to the black horse, um, I told Allie, Hey, listen, this is what I want to do. This is what I'm trying to achieve. Yes. And he was just like
Speaker 2 00:10:44 It short beers, belong gear heads. Shaved. Good. Everyone here.
Speaker 1 00:10:48 Yeah, man. Thank you very much. Yeah. Aliya, every time I come in, I tell him I want to do something else. He's just like, Oh yeah, it took so long to get this. I'm like, yeah, we're changing it up again. But that's what I've noticed with all of you guys, like you're really open to listen to what people want to try to achieve and you help them get to the hundred percent. Yeah. Which, listen, it's hard to find a good barber. And when you do
Speaker 2 00:11:11 What I tell you something, man, there's five of us a year and everybody listens and everybody has his own way of doing barbering. Every, every boy is his own week. Right. Right. And um, the terminals always look good.
Speaker 1 00:11:23 Yeah, they do. And I liked the venture. The bachelor here is like what? I come for. Like the, the chirping, the talks you got to it. This is to me community.
Speaker 2 00:11:33 A hundred percent. Yeah. This is for me. I won't come to work, man. I come to hang out. To be honest with you. I enjoy every minute of it. A lot of different people walking in a lot of different shots. Everybody has his own story in one. It's a beautiful experience, man.
Speaker 1 00:11:46 That's it? Yep. Awesome. Well Mark, you crushed it. Thank you. Ma'am listen out. Allie has been chirping saying, Oh, you think it's so easy or Mark, you made it look easy today. So just like Lancaster though, this is a short segments. So you've seen the house. You got to come and do the show. And Mark city showed up to the Mark setting. Thank you, man. So this is a little taste of you. So you got, you put your toe in the water, but now I expect you to come to the house. All right. Sweet. All right. Well, we're going to say goodbye to Mark and we're going to bring the man of the hour into the show. Allie, can you please join us?
Speaker 3 00:12:22 Oh, y'all yeah. Hi everybody. Good man. Thank you man.
Speaker 1 00:12:27 I'm doing good. So for everybody at home, if you don't know them, what you do, this is Ali. He's the owner of thick wood barbershop. Uh, not only does he do the best hair fade beards in town. He's one of the most generous people I know in regards to giving back so much to the community, to the boys and girls club, to the SPCA. Uh, so many charities, charitable organizations, um, so many people, independent charities. Allie is the, like you got the biggest heart informant Marina.
Speaker 3 00:12:56 Thank you, man. Actually, it's part of our being part of the community. You know what I mean? So basically you, uh, you, you, uh, you take and you get back, you know, that's, uh, that's part of our job as a barbers, as part of this community, we are a business that's been here for like more than 10 years and we love what we're doing and we love to give back to yeah.
Speaker 1 00:13:16 And, uh, I know it's far away, but we got to talk about it. Cause I know you got hooked up with, uh, Sanders anonymous a few years ago. And boy, did you take that on the trees, the money, the collections, you love San Antonio,
Speaker 3 00:13:27 Actually a sentence anonymous is a great, great thing. Especially nowadays with these tough times, man. I mean, there's a lot of people that are being generous and thank you guys all, I mean, without you guys, we can never do this. This is amazing. Thank you. And a lot of people are being so happy and a lot of kids are having so much smiles because of your gifts. Thank you very much, guys. We appreciate your help, your support, your gifts, and next year, hopefully we're going to do it again. And, uh, uh, your support is much appreciated.
Speaker 1 00:13:55 There you go. Now Allie's here for the shortest amount of time, but he's going to come to the house too. And you're going to come into the nice green velvet chairs that we have. But what Allie wanted to talk about today is you are doing contests,
Speaker 3 00:14:09 Actually what we're doing here. Um, Elliot, the basically, um, I, I saw a lot of posts through my wife, actually on the mommy network and the latest gang, all those mothers and all those ladies, beautiful ladies, mice, ladies, they're all like recommending or barbershop. Every time somebody pulls make a post asking, where's a good haircut. They all say articulate barbershop. And that's really, really nice if you guys, uh, we really appreciate that. And because of that, actually what we're doing is, uh, every kid comes here starting today. We're collecting names from now until Easter weekend and we're going to put all these names in a draw and we're going to make a drop. And the winner wins a free haircuts for a year and they're going to win a big gift basket full of from the, uh, smoke shop, uh, an 80%, uh, Hilltop smoke shop and epicenter, which I really thank them for this. And uh, yeah, man, that's what it is.
Speaker 4 00:15:00 That's huge. So if you didn't hear that, bring your kid in to thick with barbershop next to the black horse, up until Easter weekend, you're collecting the names and then some kid is going to win free haircuts
Speaker 3 00:15:15 For a year for one full year free haircuts plus a gift basket lost the gift basket full of candy from the Hilltop smoke shop on that. Yeah. That's awesome, man. Yeah, man. We're so excited for this. Actually. This is the little thing we can give back. You know, these mothers are amazing. Thank you. Thanks to all the mothers at the moment network, thanks to all the ladies at the ladies gang who are really supporting us and giving us all this push and support, you know, thank you very much. Really appreciate it. And uh, thank you. Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 4 00:15:41 Yeah. And listen, I'm strong enough to say, uh, women rule Fort McMurray, listen at the end of the day, all the ladies who are watching, thank you very much. You guys are in charge. I'm happy to live in your community. So the ladies definitely kind of moved the needle here,
Speaker 3 00:15:59 What they say behind every strong man that our strongest woman. I mean, we can't live without them. They're like the bays. They're like the they're, they're the ones who makes us more successful. That's all it is. We really appreciate them being around us and helping us. Yes, for sure, man. I know really. I want to wish you a happy family today, by the way. Today's a big day for everybody. I mean, family is everything and thank you very much and happy family to you guys.
Speaker 4 00:16:26 There we go. That's a good way to end the show. I think we're right on the Mark Tanner. Didn't get to talk today. We didn't do the Mac city minute, but don't worry for the rest of the week. We'll uh, we'll get Tanner back on the Mac city minute. He's operating the cameras behind and he's about to get a haircut here at the thick wood barbershop next to the black horse. So for everybody watching today, thank you very much as per usual for tuning in Allie. Lancaster, Mark. Thank you for being guest today. Really do appreciate it. My name is Elliot Pierre. This has been the Mac city morning show. Have a great family day. We'll see you tomorrow. Peace.
