FREE
Jan. 2023 | Vol. 09 Iss. 01
A CUT ABOVE
OISH OFFERS HOMETOWN BARBER SHOP VIBE By Darrell Kirby | d.kirby@mycityjournals.com
S
tep into Oish Barber Shop in West Valley City and there’s something different. It’s not the sterile barber shop from your grandpa’s day where the barber wore a white smock and a red, white and blue barber pole rotated out front. Oish, at 3666 W. 3500 South, is not overly fancy but has the feel of a hometown barber shop or a bar “where everybody knows your name.” (Apologies to “Cheers.”) The conversation among patrons from different backgrounds and life experiences is good and so are the haircuts. “I like the vibe,” said customer Ismael Delgado Delacruz of West Valley City as he was getting his black hair trimmed by stylist Seni Po’oi. He’s been coming to the shop since it moved to its present location in 2019. “It’s so inviting. You can get all the types of great hairstyles, too.” Fueling the vibe is an eclectic mix of music ranging from soulful contemporary to country that fills the room, handpicked by Seni Po’oi. “I’ve gotten to know a lot of different music just by being here, and I like it all,” Delgado Delacruz said. Oish, by the way, is Tongan slang for “awesome.” Oish doesn’t specifically cater to any one group, but it has developed a steady customer base among the area’s Polynesian community, owing in part to the fact that Seni Po’oi and his father, Lopi, who started the shop, are Tongan. However, Oish is open to anyone. “We’re a family-oriented business. Moms and kids are Continued page 22
Seni Po’oi cuts the hair of regular customer Ismael Delgado-Delacruz at Oish Barber Shop in West Valley City (Darrell Kirby/City Journals)
VAPE || VAPORIZER || KRATOM || CBD || ATOMIZER || WATER PIPES || GLASS
UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT THE BEST
PRICES
HUGE PRODUCT
VAPE & SMOKE SHOP
801.948.0505 Local Postal Customer ECRWSS Scan Here: Interactive online edition with more photos.
SELECTION
| 3738 W 5400 S | Taylorsville, UT 84129
Presort Std U.S. Postage PAID Ogden, UT Permit #190