Just a few years ago, Piscataway residents Tom Coe and Ross Cosing were kicked out of a casino for counting cards and winning five-figure wins, like a scene from the Martin Scorsese movie “Casino.”
Today, the former professional gamblers’ nine-to-five jobs are much quieter, but still luxurious.
In the spring, the two longtime friends teamed up to open The Willman Barber Shop at 17 East Somerset Street in Raritan, which offers high-end men’s cuts using $1,000 Japanese steel scissors and $600 Dyson hair dryers, along with PS5s, espresso, marble floors and free whiskey for patrons.
“You don’t have to drive to Hoboken or Manhattan to get a service like ours,” Koh said.
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Mr. Coe and Mr. Cosing spent $70,000 renovating the former Razor’s Edge, a barber shop that stood at 17 East Somerset Street for decades.
Willman uses Bleu de Chanel cologne, moisturizer and aftershave on all clients and stores photos of clients’ haircuts in a database for future reference. Haircuts cost $55, or $65 with a beard trim.
Ko and Kosing met in cosmetology classes at Piscataway Magnet School and were inspired to try blackjack to make extra cash after watching the movie “21.” As they saved up money, the side hustle turned into full-time work.
“I didn’t think it would be a big deal,” Coe says. “I was just gambling and didn’t know anything except card counting, but Ross helped me figure out the missing parts of the game, and when we figured it out, we were like, ‘Let’s see what happens with this.'”
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But after nine years, they felt it was time to do something more fulfilling.
“You’re trying to find an advantage and beat somebody,” Kosing said, “but when you’re in any other business, you have to think about how you can give somebody an advantage. You don’t want to think anymore, ‘How can I beat this person and take their money?'”
“I’m making money and then I’m sitting with degenerates at 3 a.m. losing thousands of dollars in Oklahoma casinos while my family is enjoying their birthdays and holidays. It’s not the lifestyle I wanted.”
When it came time to name their new barbershop, they named it after two of the most characterful men they knew: William was Coe’s father’s first name, and Manuel was Coe’s grandfather’s first name.
Manuel was also a big fan of a good cut until his death in 2009. His burial site is less than two miles from where Willman is now located.
“Some of my fondest memories are going with me to my dad’s barber shop in Jersey City,” Cosing said, “and even after we moved to Piscataway, he still drove to his old barber shop, and he had a full head of hair, and it was great.”
Address: 17 E. Somerset St., Raritan, Phone: 908-210-9516, thewillmanbarber.com.
Contact: JIntersimone@MyCentralJersey.com
Jenna Intersimone has been on staff at USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey since 2014, but she’s a native New Jersey girl who considers herself well-versed in everything from the New Jersey Shore to the Garden State’s bustling downtowns. For unlimited access to her articles on food, drink and fun, subscribe now or activate your digital account. You can also follow her on Instagram @seejennaeat and on Twitter @JIntersimone.
