Barber Nikolai Mercer officially opened the doors to The Barber Society May 6, a new barbershop in East Bremerton designed with inclusion at its core, most notably, through a specialized low-sensory room built to accommodate autistic and sensory-sensitive clients.
Mercer’s new shop, located inside the West Marine Plaza, is the culmination of a career that began at the Navy Exchange on Bangor base, where he cut hair for 11 years before spending the last 3.5 years at Silver City Barbershop. Mercer, who went to barber school at Bates Technical College in Tacoma while still in high school, has worked with a wide range of clients across all hair textures and abilities.
But it was during those early years that Mercer noticed something missing in most barber shops: support for clients with autism and sensory processing challenges.
“It wasn’t really intentional how I got into this,” Mercer said. “I started cutting a few autistic children’s hair and realized there just weren’t a lot of barbers who specialize in working with sensory-sensitive people. I started learning how to go about haircuts differently.”
After years of cutting hair before or after hours to accommodate clients who needed a quieter setting, Mercer knew what he wanted to build when the opportunity for his own space arose.
The result? A room with no TV, dimmable lighting, minimal wall décor, reduced noise, and specially selected quiet clippers and tools.
“The room is pretty well soundproof,” Mercer said. “I can shut the door, and you almost can’t hear anything from the outside. I even use a different set of clippers in there that are astronomically quieter than normal ones.”
To further support clients, Mercer offers sensory tools like fidget toys, magnetic puzzles, and even popsicles or snacks to ease anxiety, especially for children.
“Sometimes I’ll sit on the ground or follow a kid around the room to cut their hair,” he said. “Whatever they need, I meet them where they’re at, not where I think they should be.”
Clients can select the low sensory room as an add-on during online booking at no extra cost. Another option is the “quiet service” for those who prefer minimal conversation during their appointment.
“It can be hard for people to say out loud that they don’t want to talk,” Mercer said. “I’d rather give them the option upfront so they don’t have to feel rude.”
The shop’s inclusive design is deeply personal for Mercer, a transgender man who understands what it feels like to enter barbershops that don’t feel safe or welcoming.
“When I started barber school, I hadn’t transitioned yet,” he said. “It was a very male-dominated environment, and it felt like one of those ‘sit down, shut up, and get your haircut’ kind of places. I wanted to create something completely different.”
Mercer says he never saw barbershops that were both kid-friendly and queer-friendly growing up. Mercer currently operates The Barber Society solo, with plans to be selective about adding barbers in the future to ensure the space’s mission stays intact.
“There just aren’t a lot of spaces in this world designed for trans people or neurodivergent people. I wanted to build one,” he said. “I want people to see that someone like me can be successful doing what they love, and that they can, too.”
While no one has yet used the low sensory room on its first day, Mercer said community feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Many families and individuals are eager to try it.
“A lot of people end up cutting their hair at home or just going through a really uncomfortable, sometimes traumatic experience,” Mercer said. “I want to change that.”
