Flashy Faded Barbershop owner José Pérez “JP” Zamora provides Milwaukee residents and athletes fresh cuts while setting an example for young people behind him.
The husband and father of three is known for his precision, creativity, and trend-setting styles. Now the official barber of the Milwaukee Brewers, he is also an ambassador for Andis Company, Potawatomi Casino, and the haircut app “theCut.”
Zamora, who immigrated from Tamaulipas, Mexico alongside his family, started cutting hair when he was young.
“I picked it up out of necessity as a kid,” he said.
His mom would cut his and his brother’s hair whenever she didn’t have the money to send them to a barbershop, and when she did send them to the barbershop he would sit and watch.
“Same thing with my mom! I would just sit there and watch her cut my brother’s hair and one day she couldn’t do both,” Zamora said.
His brother had an important event and needed a cut, so he told him to have a seat and his brother became his first client at 13. Then as a student at Hamilton High School, Zamora would cut friends’ hair.
He recalls asking Flip N’ Styles owner Felipe “Flip” Martinez for a job.
“He had a pretty big name at the time because he was cutting up Dwyane Wade and I knew I wanted to work in a shop. I think I was around 14, a little too young. So I went and asked him if I could work for a shop and he turned me down,” Zamora said.
This moment bruised Zamora’s ego a bit; however, this setback didn’t deter him. About a year later, he landed an apprenticeship at Unique Cuts on 27th Street. This opportunity gave him firsthand experience with walk-in clients.
After finishing his apprenticeship, he worked at Anthony Pettis’ Showtime Barbershop near 11th and Oklahoma, and later opened his own shop on Kinnickinnic Avenue in Bay View where he also landed Green Bay Packers cornerback Eric Stokes as a client.
Zamora said this moment led to a domino effect. He cut hair for Omar Narváez, catcher for the Milwaukee Brewers at the time, and soon after the entire team.
“I knew the barber that was doing the work for the team. He finally retired last year and put in a good word for me. And it took off! I made ESPN and we did 51 mullets for the kids during the game, which was nine innings, and it was pretty cool,” he said.
Zamora compares cutting hair to drawing.
“I’ve always been pretty artistic and hands-on. I can grab a utensil or anything and draw on any type of surface,” he said. “I don’t like to brag about it but it feels like God gave me the talent to do a lot of things.”
And Zamora feels grateful enough for that talent to pay it forward.
“The reason why I’m so involved with being visible everywhere on social media, my presence, and the people that I partner up with is that I just want to pave the way for those kids that don’t have the resources to make it,” he said.
Zamora often finds opportunities to be actively involved in the local community, participating in charity events and outreach programs. He also said he understands the importance of giving back and using his talent to make a difference such as offering free haircuts at community events or supporting youth programs.
“We used to do groups for the youth in the Latino and African American community raising awareness about mental health and toxic masculinity,” Zamora said.
He also wants young people in Milwaukee to know they can accomplish anything they want as long as they put in the work ethic, stay consistent, and believe in themselves.
“I’m just paving the way for these kids to look fresh, to stay out of trouble, to follow their dreams, and do what they have to do,” Zamora said.
