The hours of the new Virtus barbershop at 9010 Garland Road are the same as the Lakewood area location on La Vista Drive. Photo by Madelyn Edwards.
Claremont Addition neighbors Set and Jennifer Lopez opened a second location of Virtus Barber and Co. in the Little Forest Hills area.
But to them, it’s a bit more personal than that.
“We’re not just opening a shop in a neighborhood; we’re investing in the community we’re fortunate enough to call home,” owner/operator Set Lopez told the Lakewood/East Dallas Advocate.
Those of us in the Lakewood area may be familiar with Virtus on La Vista Drive that opened in 2021. The barbershop’s origins actually began the year before during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“What started as a small two-person operation has grown into something we’re incredibly proud of,” Set Lopez said. “We’re approaching seven years since the creation of Virtus, and it’s been a rewarding journey to see how far we’ve come and how much the community has embraced us.”
The new barbershop at 9010 Garland Road, in the same shopping center as Bike Mart, Good Records and the incoming Norma’s Cafe, opened last week on Nov. 5. The hours are the same as the La Vista Drive one.
“My wife and I have lived in the adjacent White Rock Hills neighborhood for the past 11 years, and we genuinely love this area and the community that surrounds it,” Set Lopez said. “East Dallas has always felt like home to us, so expanding into Little Forest Hills felt like a natural progression for Virtus. We wanted to grow while remaining rooted in the community we know and love. It was important to us that our next location be more than just another barbershop. We wanted to become part of the neighborhood and contribute something meaningful to an area that already means so much to us.”
Virtus makes an appearance on the sign headlined by Norma’s Cafe. Photo by Madelyn Edwards.
He added, “We envision (the barbershop) as a safe, welcoming space where people feel comfortable, connected and genuinely at home. A place where neighbors become familiar faces, conversations come naturally, and everyone feels welcome regardless of who they are or where they come from.”
The experience between both locations is expected to be consistent. Set Lopez boasted the shop’s commitment to an individualized approach based on each client’s needs and preferences rather than one size fits all. If you’re not familiar, Virtus offers haircuts, head shaving, buzzcuts, edge ups, beard shaping, straight razor face shaving and other services along those lines.
“One of our fan favorites is our hot towel beard shaping, which adds an extra level of relaxation and attention to detail,” the owner/operator said. “Ultimately, we want every client to leave feeling refreshed, confident and well taken care of.”
And if you’re curious about the name, “Virtus” in Latin means manliness and qualities associated with manhood, like strength, vigor, bravery, excellence and virtue. But Set Lopez had a slightly different definition in mind when naming the barbershop.
“To us, Virtus embodies character, integrity, discipline and the commitment to doing things the right way,” he said. “We wanted a name that represented not only the quality of our craft but also the kind of people we strive to be and the culture we hope to cultivate within our shops. Ultimately, Virtus is about having strong character, taking pride in your work and treating people with respect.”
