New barber brings West Coast roots, community focus to Kingston Springs

This article is sponsored by Cody Brazil.

Inside Salon 102, Cody Brazil isn’t just focused on the haircut in front of him — he’s focused on the person in the chair.

“I like cutting hair. I think it's great, but I like talking to people more,” Brazil said. “That's what brings them back in.”

At 31, Brazil is new to Kingston Springs, but already finding his place in a town he now calls home.

Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Brazil spent most of his life in California before making the move to Tennessee with his family last year.

“[We] decided, it was time to find somewhere else,” he said. “Things got really expensive there.”

Touring several states he might want to call home, Nashville stood out. Brazil arrived last August and spent a few months in Madison before a realtor pointed him toward Kingston Springs in the fall. Since November, he’s been settling into a much quieter way of life.

“I walk outside and I hear birds and nature,” he said. “I have to sit on my porch for 30 minutes to appreciate how chill and quiet and beautiful it is.”

That slower pace — and the people — have made an impression.

“We noticed our neighbors … walking up our driveway,” he said. “Back home, if the neighbor is walking up your driveway, we have a problem.”

Instead, they came with cookies. “We were shell shocked,” he said.

Moments like that have helped define his experience in Kingston Springs so far. “I just get that sense of community here,” he said. “Everybody's interested in … how they can help.”

That sense of connection is something Brazil now hopes to build through his work.

A new start behind the chair

Brazil has been cutting hair for more than seven years, though the path to barbering wasn’t straightforward.

He had planned to be in the music industry, but after his grandfather became ill, he stayed home to help care for his family.

Looking for a new direction, he decided to try barber school — despite having no experience.

“I went into barber school not knowing how to hold a pair of clippers,” he said. But the mix of creativity and conversation quickly clicked.

“I've always been very visual and artsy and … obviously like to talk people's ear off as well,” he joked.

After moving to Tennessee, Brazil briefly worked in West Nashville but struggled to build steady clientele. When he moved to Kingston Springs, he wanted something closer to home. 

“The little town I'm living in doesn't have a barber,” he said. “Let’s start there.” 

He joined Salon 102 earlier this year. Since then, he’s found both opportunity and comfort in the space.

“I really felt like [Jennifer gave me the space to] … be my own creative and do my thing,” he said.

Brazil serves a mix of clients — from children to adults — and believes in creating an experience that goes beyond the service itself.

“I've always told my clients that you're gonna be here for 45 minutes, so am I, so we may as well be friends and not make it weird,” he laughed.

For him, conversation is just as important as technique. “I'd much rather like to have that … friendly, fun vibe,” he said.

His goal is to make getting a haircut feel less like a task and more like something to enjoy.

“I never wanted it to feel like … a chore,” he said. “I always want it to be … an enjoyable experience.”

Word of mouth in the community has helped introduce new clients to his chair, something Brazil said means a lot as he builds his business from the ground up.

“It's really scary to leave your business behind at home and then to come somewhere and completely start over,” he said.

As he continues to meet new clients and neighbors, Brazil said he hopes to give back to the same community that welcomed him.

“I want them to come back and be like, well, that's going to be a relaxing or fun thing that I can do,” he said.

Brazil is now booking haircuts and beard services for men, teens and children. He’s available Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Walk-ins are always welcome, but booking online in advance is highly encouraged.