There’s grace here. You feel it the moment you walk in.
I pay twice what I’d pay elsewhere and consider it a bargain. The haircut itself is excellent, but the experience is irreplaceable. I count down the days to my appointment.
In a world of rushed transactions, Monument gives you something rare: time that feels well-spent.
the lesson
Monument’s secret isn’t scalable (at least not en masse), and that’s the point. You can’t bottle Nic’s personality or mass-produce the feeling of walking into that old house. You can’t franchise authenticity or systematize genuine curiosity about strangers.
But you can steal the principles:
Inhabit your role. Nick isn’t acting like a barber. He is one. Authenticity in service is magnetic.
Design with intention. Excellence lives in a thousand tiny, thoughtful decisions.
Offer grace, not just service. It’s more than being “helpful.” It’s helping people feel seen, valued, and at peace. You recognize it instantly, even if you can’t name it.
The irony? By not chasing scale, Monument has created something infinitely more valuable: a business people love, write about, and gladly pay a premium for.
Maybe the question isn’t whether great hospitality can scale.
Maybe it’s whether your business is brave enough to stay small enough to stay magical.
Have a wonderful week — and on this Memorial Day, I’m especially grateful for those who laid down their lives so we can live freely.
