New Barbershop Opens Following Retail Lease Settlement

Owners of new retail concepts should anticipate that exclusivity clauses may require physical site modifications.

Updated on Oct. 21, 2026 in Openings & Closings

Isometric editorial illustration showing a partition wall bisecting a commercial space, representing the resolution of retail lease exclusivity requirements. — Jose Cintron opened his new barbershop in Fort Myers after negotiating a retail lease settlement that required subdividing the existing space. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Florida Gulf Coast University student Jose Cintron has opened a new 2,000-square-foot barbershop, Hause of Fades, in Fort Myers' University Village. The shop represents a new addition to the retail plaza after the resolution of previous exclusivity rights held by a salon.

Why it matters

The opening highlights the complexities of retail leasing in high-traffic developments, where exclusivity clauses can often block new businesses until property divisions or lease adjustments are negotiated.

The new 2,000-square-foot facility operates 17 barber chairs staffed by 10 professionals. The shop remains open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., with Sunday operations restricted to appointments only.

The players

Jose Cintron

A 21-year-old student at Florida Gulf Coast University and owner of the new barbershop.

Hause of Fades

A 2,000-square-foot barbershop newly opened in University Village.

The details

To establish the shop in the existing retail plaza, owners had to overcome an exclusivity agreement previously held by a women's salon. This required physical modifications to the floor plan, specifically the installation of a new wall to divide the building space and comply with plaza zoning and lease restrictions.

2024: Construction of the shop begins.
October 18, 2026: Hause of Fades holds its official ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Fall 2027: Owner Jose Cintron is expected to graduate from college.

Market Landscape

The project follows a common pattern where new tenants must navigate restrictive commercial real estate exclusivity clauses before finalizing lease terms. Such provisions are standard in managed shopping centers to protect incumbent businesses from direct competition.

Operators looking to enter plazas with established anchors should review existing lease agreements for exclusivity language that might require costly physical space division. Confirming these limitations with property management early in the build-out phase is essential to avoiding mid-construction delays.

The takeaway

Navigating restrictive lease covenants often requires proactive facility modifications to satisfy existing anchor tenant protections. Prospective owners should verify all restrictive covenants in their lease documents before committing capital to a specific physical location.