From Wendy’s and Jester Market to a lecture hall and student resource center, the Jester Center has every amenity a first-year student at UT could possibly desire. Unknown to many, in addition to late-night burger runs and study room cram sessions, Jester offers one more vital amenity: barber services.
Alex Carranza, a human dimensions of organizations freshman known by his clients as “the Jarber,” transformed his Jester West dorm room into a barber shop last fall.
Carranza’s barbering journey began in March 2023, when he started cutting his dad’s and close friends’ hair in his home bathroom. After a year and a half, he found himself in school to become a licensed barber.
“I only saw barbering as a side gig at first,” Carranza said. “But when I moved to Austin, that’s when I decided I wanted to make it a career.”
On his first day of classes, Carranza donned a pink suit and traveled around Jester and Speedway, handing out business cards to passing students. From there, his popularity took off, with many clients preferring the unconventional dorm room haircut experience.
Ezequiel Hernandez, an economics freshman and one of Carranza’s clients, said the experience of getting his hair cut in a dorm room made his relationship with Carranza stronger than that of a traditional barber.
“In a shop, it’s more professional, and I feel like you don’t talk,” Hernandez said. “(When) you get a haircut in a dorm, there’s more talking with each other in my experience.”
Carranza said these conversations and client interactions make being a barber worthwhile. During his first semester at UT, he met clients from all over the world, including students from China, New Zealand, Russia and Dubai. He said he cherishes the amazing stories he gets to hear.
Alex Carranza continues to make big strides in his barbering journey. He moved his services out of his dorm room in Jester West Dormitory and into Crew Barbershop in West Campus, a move prompted by his desire to have a more professional space for his clients and to elevate himself above being seen as a “dorm barber”.
“I definitely do see this as being a career,” Carranza said. “I’m planning on making it big in barbery, (and) I’m in the steps of making my own hair product brand called Defined Hair Co.”
Roberto Castaneda, a kinesiology freshman and client of Carranza’s, said although Carranza’s success in Austin has led to some changes such as price increases and longer travel time to Crew Barbershop, he continues to offer excellent service and attention to detail.
“He takes his time. … He focuses on little things,” Castaneda said. “I find it still worth it.”
Carranza said he will miss cutting hair in Jester West, seeing it as a starting point for the rest of his career.
“This is where I started cutting hair,” Carranza said. “Looking back it will definitely be nostalgic knowing this is where it (was born), here in Austin.”
