Onyx Barber Collective operates three chairs across two locations and commands a six-week waitlist — but their online presence was a single Google Business listing with no photos. We built a dark-palette responsive site with integrated online booking that matched the precision and atmosphere of the shop itself.
Setting the Tone
Onyx’s founders are craftspeople. They wanted the site to feel like their shop smells — leather, sandalwood, intention. We directed a half-day photo shoot with cinematic lighting to capture the textures, the tools, and the focus in their barbers’ hands. Every image on the site came from that session.
The design language is restrained and deliberate. A near-black base with warm off-white typography and a single copper accent that echoes the brass fixtures in their physical space. No sliders, no carousels, no visual noise. Scroll down, see the work, book a chair.
Technical Build
The WordPress build integrated Square Appointments for real-time booking availability without redirecting users to an external platform. Service pages list each barber’s specialties with direct “Book with [Name]” buttons that pre-fill the appointment form.
- Custom WordPress block theme with dark palette and copper accent system
- Square Appointments API integration with per-barber availability
- Cinematic photography direction and post-production
- Smooth scroll animations with reduced-motion fallbacks
- Mobile-first responsive design — 73% of Onyx’s traffic is phone-based
Outcome
Online bookings accounted for 58% of all new appointments within the first month — up from zero. The site’s bounce rate sits at 22%, well below industry average for service businesses. Onyx has since expanded their waitlist management through the same platform, eliminating phone-tag entirely for new client intake.
The site feels like our shop. That’s the highest compliment I can give. Clients tell us they knew what to expect before they ever sat in the chair.
Troy Okafor, Co-Founder — Onyx Barber Collective
