Mohammed Raja, 50, owner of the studio on Duckworth Lane, Girlington, celebrated his retirement on Monday after taking over the shop when he was just 20.
Now he will start a new business teaching part-time barbering at Bradford College.
He said: “I will really miss the people and the community of Bradford. My clients are more like friends, and I’ve had clients come to me from tiny little kids to fully-dressed married men, but I told them we’d keep in touch.
Mohammed had many of his clients paying tribute to his career, including Bradford West NP Naz Shah who wrote a heartfelt post on Facebook.
She said: “There is a tinge of sadness today as I take my children for their final haircut at the Studio on Duckworth Lane.
“I wish Yunus, Anas and the studio team all the best for the next chapter of life’s journey and thank them not only for the haircuts, the jokes, the friendships, the inspiration, but everything what they have done locally as businesses play an important role in our local economy.
Another wrote, “We will miss you very much. We have been with you for so long. You are like family.”
While another added: “One of the best hair salons for sure, this is where my barber career started with many great memories. Shame to see you go.”
Mohammed took over the shop in 1993 after his uncle acquired the property while he was on shore leave training on a cruise ship.
He said: “I started here when I was just 20, on my own, and built an incredible team from scratch. I was one of the first BD9 shows. Over the years I have developed a very good team of people working for me and developed a reputation.
His wife said people came from all over the country, to London and Manchester to have their hair cut by Mohammed, and he even worked on celebrities such as Tom Zanetti, Rod Stewart and Bradford Bulls players in the past.
Although Mohammed is from Batley, he says he has seen ups and downs in Bradford, including the Bradford Riots and a stabbing outside his store, but he has also seen plenty of beautiful things, so “he will miss everything very much”.
