Anyone who's part of the scene inevitably knows them. Whether from photos in magazines or as big-head figures in barbershops, Leen and Bertus are ubiquitous. Likewise, their two posters, featuring "Signature Haircuts" and "Barbershop Classics," serve as inspiration and a guide for barbers worldwide. And of course, there's Reuzel, "Holland's Finest Pomade." The distinctive vintage tins with the rugged pig as their trademark are unique and impossible to miss. It all started small, with the "Schorem" barbershop on Nieuwe Binnenweg in Rotterdam, where everything remains the same today. "Schorem" means something like "riffraff," and "Reuzel" simply translates to "lard."
This gives you a glimpse into Leen and Bertus's sense of humor and their easygoing approach to business. When they renovated the shop, nobody knew it would become a barbershop. The windows were still covered with paper, and a sign was already up that read "Men, dogs – no women." Naturally, this made them the talk of the town even before they opened. Two weeks after opening, the wait time had already climbed to five hours. On some days, customers start queuing as early as 6 a.m., when Schorem opens at 10 a.m. Nevertheless, the shop still operates without appointments, and that's definitely part of the experience. People swap stories and drink beer or the best filter coffee in town while they wait for their haircut.
From the very beginning, Leen and Bertus were generous with their knowledge. Their tutorials on classic men's haircuts can therefore also be found on YouTube. As the demand for professional training grew, they simply opened the Old School Barber Academy diagonally across the street from Schorem.
Leen and Bertus, Schorem, Reuzel and the Old School Barber Academy, that's you two. Where and when did you meet?
Bertus: We met in 1995 in Maastricht, in the south of the Netherlands. Leen and his brother owned the barbershop "Saloon Maastricht" there. The "Saloon" is still there. Check it out when you go. I ended up there through an ex-girlfriend (which is how practically every story in my life begins) and was looking for a job. Unfortunately, the brothers didn't need anyone at the time, but between Leen and me it was love at first sight, so to speak—"the beginning of a beautiful friendship."
You perform shows all over the world. Where are you coming from right now?
Bertus: The last few years have indeed been hectic and completely crazy. I think we've probably flown around the world three times by now. We've had some wonderful adventures and met fantastic people (though we've also met a few nutcases). Our last stop was pretty close to home; we flew to Sheffield for the day to visit our old friend Joth, the owner of Savills Barbershop.
What does a typical workday look like for you?
Bertus: That's quite difficult to answer because our division of tasks is completely different. Leen spends more time behind the screens, making sure everything runs smoothly. I myself do a little bit of everything, and preferably not much of any one thing (laughs). With three companies, so many employees, and the constantly changing classes at the Academy, it certainly never gets boring.
What constitutes a successful workday?
Bertus: Our driving force has always been "a satisfied customer and a satisfied employee." And I think that still holds true. "The customer" here is a metaphor for both the customer in the chair and the person buying a can of Reuzel or taking a barbering course.
What awaits the customer who enters Schorem?
Bertus: Service, inspiration, quality are the keywords you should print, but ultimately above all, “A cut that gets you laid.”
What are the rules in your barbershop?
Bertus: Respect for everyone is the most important thing. In a barbershop, everyone is valued equally – regardless of their social status or income. None of that matters anymore once you cross the threshold.
Besides your diverse business activities, do you still have time for other things?
Bertus: Leen is crazy about cooking, and I have to say, he's damn good at it. There's nothing better than a home-cooked meal from the Bearded Bastard! He's also crazy about cars , and he loves discovering new places for good food and drink, but ultimately, he works a lot! I try to spend every free minute reading and with my kids. Even though I work to live, one hobby of mine is creating cool things with my friend Jelle. Taking photos, shooting videos, designing T-shirts. I don't really consider that work.
You love cinema. You've already made a short film with a gangster story set in the 1930s. Assuming you ever make a feature film: Leen, what role does Bertus play in it?
Leen: I imagine a well-groomed gentleman with a sharp sense of humor, full of life, and always with a beautiful woman on his arm. A paragon of manners and intellect, highly educated and modest. Then he wouldn't even act...
Bertus, what role does Leen play in the film?
Bertus: Hannibal Lecter!
You clearly pledge your allegiance to Rotterdam. When it comes to these two cities, only one holds a place in your heart: Rotterdam or Amsterdam. If Amsterdam is the Disneyland of crime (to quote a Dutch minister), then what is Rotterdam?
Bertus: Even after seeing the whole world, there's no city our hearts are more attached to than Rotterdam. It's a melting pot of every kind of culture on earth, and it's the most genuinely honest city of them all, with a wonderfully dark sense of humor. Amsterdam has that certain something – Rotterdam doesn't need it.
What is your view of the barber scene in the Netherlands? Are you one big family, or is everyone fighting for themselves?
Bertus: I do think we're a big family, but with a few grumpy grandsons-in-law (laughs). We see that the barbershop as an institution is making a big comeback because we're all working together and have finally realized that this is the only way to hone our skills. Schorem has always been a very transparent business with no secrets. We've always seen ourselves as ambassadors of our craft, and we think it's wonderful that the barbershop has returned to the streets.
In our last issue of Böker Barber's Corner, we featured a straight razor together with Paul Kox from Breukelen. You probably know him as one of the last of the old masters. Do you still keep in touch sometimes?
Bertus: Yes, Paul is a wonderful person, and he was a great help to us in the first few days of Schorem. We haven't spoken to him for a while, but "what's in the fat won't turn sour" [Dutch proverb]. I'm sure we'll run into each other again soon.
Bertus and Leen, thank you so much for the interview!