About

In April of 2013 after nearly 25 years in business, the barbershop known since it's inception as Truefitt & Hill Chicago became... Merchant & Rhoades. The company's owners, the Merchant family, decided it was finally time to honor the store's late founder, Kirk Merchant, by putting his name above the door. The new name consists of "Merchant", the family name, and "Rhoades", the maiden name of Kirk's wife Patrice. Together the two names symbolize what has always been a true family business. Indeed, many of the Merchant family are still actively involved in the business, including the eldest son (and second-generation barber), Kirk, who currently manages the barbershop.Although the name is relatively new, the tradition is long. Before bringing Truefitt & Hill to America, founder Kirk Merchant owned the Barbershop at the Drake Hotel, and over the course of his career cut the hair of many of the most wealthy and influential men in the city of Chicago. That same tradition continues today at Merchant & Rhoades and will hopefully continue for many generations to come.