Wass' Barbers Hornby is the Hornby branch of Wass Barbers, a Christchurch barbering name established in 1998 and now counted among the most popular barbers in the city. Behind the chair is Wass himself, a barber with more than 21 years of industry experience, over ten of them spent working in New Zealand. His craft has been recognised with the Canterbury/Westland Regional Hair Stylist of the Year award in both 2017 and 2018, and in 2018 he was runner-up in the New Zealand Hair Stylist of the Year awards. Among customers, the reputation runs just as deep — Wass Barbers is the number one highest Google-reviewed barber in the South Island.
The Wass Barbers concept began as a mobile barbershop, an idea Wass pursued so he could keep overheads low — enabling competitive pricing — and make quality haircuts easy to access with no appointments needed. That walk-in spirit still defines the Hornby shop today: it is open seven days a week, Monday to Saturday 9am-6pm and Sunday 10am-5pm, with public holidays running 10am-5pm, so a fresh cut can fit around work, school or weekend plans.
The service list covers the essentials of men's barbering: classic men's cuts, buzz cuts, zero and skin fades of any type, and blade head shaves, alongside dedicated cuts for boys 10 and under and for high school students. Beards are well looked after too, with trims, full beard shaves and a traditional steam beard shave.
Hornby is one of five Wass Barbers locations around Christchurch, joining Victoria St, Riccarton, Cashmere and Sumner — so the same no-fuss, walk-in approach is never far away.
Wass' Barbers Hornby operates on a refreshingly simple promise: walk in, sit down, and leave with a proper haircut. No booking apps, no waiting a week for a slot — the shop is open seven days a week, from 9am to 6pm Monday through Saturday and 10am to 5pm on Sundays, with public holidays running 10am to 5pm as well. For anyone whose schedule doesn't cooperate with appointment-only salons, that flexibility alone is worth knowing about.
But there's more behind the chair than convenience. Wass Barbers was established in 1998, and Wass himself brings more than 21 years of barbering experience to every cut, over ten of them spent working in New Zealand. That track record hasn't gone unnoticed: he took out the Canterbury/Westland Regional Hair Stylist of the Year award in both 2017 and 2018, and in 2018 was runner-up in the New Zealand Hair Stylist of the Year awards. Among customers, the reputation is just as strong — Wass Barbers is the number one highest Google-reviewed barber in the South Island, and the business counts itself among the most popular barbers in Christchurch.
The origins of Wass Barbers explain a lot about how it still operates. The concept began as a mobile barber shop, an idea Wass pursued for two practical reasons: keeping overheads low, which allows competitive pricing, and making haircuts easy to access with no appointments needed. That founding philosophy carries through at the Hornby shop today. You don't ring ahead or book online — you simply turn up during opening hours and get sorted.
What began as a one-man mobile operation has grown into a group of shops across Christchurch. Hornby sits alongside locations on Victoria St and in Riccarton, Cashmere and Sumner, meaning the same straightforward walk-in approach is never far away, wherever in the city you find yourself.
The service list covers the essentials of men's barbering without fuss. On the hair side there's the classic men's cut, a quick all-over buzz cut, and the zero or skin fade — offered of any type for those who like their blend razor-sharp. For anyone going fully minimal, the head can be shaved with a blade for a smooth finish.
Younger customers are well catered for. Boys aged 10 and under have their own dedicated cut, and high school guys have a tier designed for them — useful for parents trying to keep a growing family looking tidy without much drama in the chair.
Beards get their own part of the menu too. There's a straightforward beard trim for keeping things shaped, a full beard shave for starting fresh, and the steam beard shave, a traditional service where steam softens the beard before the blade goes to work for a close, comfortable finish.
Because there's no appointment system, a visit to Wass' Barbers is pleasingly low-commitment: drop in when it suits, wait your turn, and walk out looking sharper than you walked in. If you'd like a preview of what to expect, the Wass Barbers website carries a gallery of their work, and the team is active on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok, where fresh cuts give a sense of the range on offer.
The shop suits a wide crowd. Busy workers can swing by during the long weekday opening hours; families can bring in boys of different ages in a single trip; students can keep things trimmed between classes. And because Wass Barbers keeps its overheads low by design, the pricing stays competitive for the quality on offer.
Wass' Barbers Hornby brings together a rare combination: an award-winning stylist (2017 and 2018 Canterbury/Westland Regional Hair Stylist of the Year, and 2018 national runner-up), the number one highest Google-reviewed barber in the South Island, a full menu of cuts and beard services, and opening hours that respect how people actually live — seven days a week, no appointment required.
Find the Hornby shop at 1 Amyes Rd, Waimairi Beach, Christchurch, open Monday to Saturday 9am-6pm and Sunday 10am-5pm. Walk in, take a seat, and see why Christchurch keeps reviewing this shop so highly.