Dapper relocating to Sterling Hotel

Downtown gentlemen’s barber club Dapper is relocating to the early 20th-century era former Sterling Hotel being redeveloped by The Vecino Group LLC.

Dapper owner and licensed cosmetologist Sean Brownfield said his throwback barbershop would start its part of the infill work in mid-January, with a goal to open five to six weeks later. The upper floors, which Vecino Group is converting into microefficiency studio apartment space tentatively dubbed Sterling Lofts, are expected to be completed in July.

“I think the history of the building, namely the actors, the sports figures, the politicians, the strong men of the ’20s, ‘30s, ‘40s that would have stayed there - I like the lure of that,” Brownfield said on his decision to lease the space for 10 years at undisclosed terms. “The architecture is very fitting.”

Brownfield said he signed a lease for undisclosed terms for all of the development’s retail space - about 4,000 square feet. He’ll use first-floor space for five barbershop chairs, a private men’s shaving parlor and a haberdashery selling items such as vintage watches, cufflinks, leather care items, high-end buttons and sewing items. There also will be space for custom tailoring and a dry-cleaning drop-off service, he said.

The bottom floor is planned as a private, members-only area he only would give scant details about.

“We’ve got it all drawn up and planned out, although it is something that we’re only sharing with our members,” Brownfield said. “I can tell you that we will have a secret passageway and a hidden door in a wall.”

Declining to disclose first-year revenue, Brownfield said the barbershop that opened in August 2013 now has roughly 185 members as it nears 15 months in business, ahead of its plan to have 50 members in 18 months.

He said Dapper’s current space on Park Central Square, rented from Jim Faulkner, has a lease through June. The barbershop would continue to operate at that spot until its move.