Where is Fresno’s favorite barbershop? In the Tower District, according to your votes

At first glance, it might look like a relative newcomer took over the top spot as Fresno’s favorite barbershop.

Of the top 10 nominees in The Bee’s online poll, Money Line Barbershop received nearly 60% of the 24,305 tallied votes. The next most popular spot, Fresno Barbershop Co., earned 24%, or nearly 6,000 votes. Philly Cuts followed that with 13%.

Money Line Barbershop may not sound familiar, but owner Yuniel Villaseñor has been cutting hair in Fresno since he was 12 years old and has a long list of long-time patrons.

“I have clients coming to me since my back yard,” he says.

Villaseñor opened his first shop — Yuniel’s City Barbershop — across from Fresno City College in 2012. The shop had a man-cave feel: flat-screen TVs, sports photos and pennants.

“It is kind of old-school around here, but we do all kinds of haircuts from pompadours to Mohawks and everything in between,” Villaseñor told The Bee at the time.

“We even do a hot towel shave.”

Haircuts were $12.

In May, the shop moved — to the corner space in the same building — and rebranded itself as Money Line.

It’s still very much a sports shop, filled with memorabilia, framed team jerseys and signed photos and other assorted paraphernalia. The name comes from sports betting, where the money line is the simplest and most straightforward bet, Villaseñor says.

The place is bigger now—there are six barber chairs and room to grow. There’s a custom bar in back for waiting customers.

It’s also mostly the same, with a core rotation of returning clients coming in looking for a gamut of hair styles.

“Everything’s back in style now,” Villaseñor says.

The comb over and the flat top are popular, but so are beard enhancements, fades and line work.

Currently, Villaseñor has two other barbers in the shop, Victor Catano and Rick Valdez.

He couldn’t have pulled off the votes the shop got in the poll without them, or their clients.

The shop was packed last week when Villaseñor saw The Bee’s poll was live, and suddenly, everyone is the shop — and some their families and friends on social media — were on their phones, logging in votes.

“Everybody was voting,” he says.

“It just feels good to see people support.”

Of course, any success for Villaseñor then and now is taken with thanks to God, “the King of Kings,” he says.

“Without him, none of this would be possible.”

Fresno Barbershop Co. and Philly Cuts

Fresno Barbershop Co. and owner Ruben Juarez are longtime favorites in the Tower District. Before moving into a spot on Echo street across from Fresno High School (on the same strip as Ampersand Ice Cream and Tower District Records) in 2015, Juarez ran Ruben’s Barber Shop on Fern Street across from Strummer’s nightclub.

Before that, he operated out of a spot at Belmont Avenue and Fulton Street.

Philly Cuts, isn’t a barbershop, rather a celebrity barber. That’s how Philly Lopez or @phillylopez_ bills himself at least. He is known to style cuts for boxers (José Ramírez, for one) soccer players and banda musicians.

The results of The Bee’s Best Barbershop in Fresno poll.

Yuniel Villasenor, owner of Money Line Barbershop, talks about winning the poll for best barbershop in the area Friday, Aug. 26, 2022 in Fresno.

Yuniel Villasenor, owner of Money Line Barbershop, talks about winning the poll for best barbershop in the area Friday, Aug. 26, 2022 in Fresno.

Levi Villasenor, right, prepares for a haircut from his dad Yuniel Villasenor, owner of Money Line Barbershop, who won the poll for best barbershop in the area Friday, Aug. 26, 2022 in Fresno.

Levi Villasenor, right, prepares for a haircut from his dad Yuniel Villasenor, owner of Money Line Barbershop, who won the poll for best barbershop in the area Friday, Aug. 26, 2022 in Fresno.

Yuniel Villasenor, owner of Money Line Barbershop, cuts a client's hair Friday, Aug. 26, 2022 in Fresno.  Moneyline Barbershop won the poll for best barbershop in the area.

Yuniel Villasenor, owner of Money Line Barbershop, cuts a client’s hair Friday, Aug. 26, 2022 in Fresno. Moneyline Barbershop won the poll for best barbershop in the area.

Yuniel Villasenor, owner of Money Line Barbershop, center, has won the poll for best barbershop in the area.  Photographed Friday, Aug. 26, 2022 in Fresno.

Yuniel Villasenor, owner of Money Line Barbershop, center, has won the poll for best barbershop in the area. Photographed Friday, Aug. 26, 2022 in Fresno.

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