In 1993, during the height of the Seattle grunge movement, three friends opened a barbershop in Seattle. They called it Rudy’s Barbershop, named after a local graffiti artist tagged “Rudy’s” on the wall of the shop. Today, Rudy’s has 14 locations in the state of Washington, three in Oregon and one each in New York and Georgia.
The barbershop chain has expanded its reach by entering the hospitality space with a collection of bath products, including a 1, 2, 3 shower system featuring a shampoo, conditioner and body wash.
“Rudy’s started with a simple idea: to create a place where all our friends could hang out and leave feeling better than when they arrived,” said David Petersen, who cofounded Rudy’s Barbershop with friends Alex Calderwood and Wade Weigal. “Breaking down the rules of the traditional barbershop, Rudy’s developed its own formula for creating a safe space for anyone and everyone to get their hair done.”
He pointed out that Rudy’s salons have been places “where individuality is celebrated and elevated through personal style,” adding, “Each operates as a deeply rooted, inclusive environment dedicated to the pursuit of self expression. Since the opening, Rudy’s has redefined the modern salon experience, and now a new generation of beauty and grooming, focusing on inclusivity and a be-yourself-above-all-else culture.”
If Weigel and Calderwood’s names sound familiar, they are two of the cofounders of the Ace Hotel brand, whose first location was in Seattle. So, it was obvious that the property would be the first to offer the collection. “When we started the Rudy’s brand products, we had the hotel needs in mind, and the Ace Hotel felt like a natural fit for our first placement,” noted Peterson. The collection is now in all Ace Hotels.
Much of the Rudy’s product line was born with the love for a hospitality experience in mind, he said, adding, “From the citrus, cedar and juniper scents to a carefully curated package, the Rudy’s collection simply belongs in a place where people go to experience the new sights and cultures. Rudy’s products save cost and waste, with refillable solutions to support today’s need to simplify and offer an opportunity to purchase products for guests to bring home with them.”
The 1, 2, 3 shower system consists of Rudy’s Shampoo No. 1, Rudy’s conditioner No. 2 and Rudy’s Body Wash No. 3, all made with the brand’s signature scent with bright notes of citrus, cedar and juniper, “combining the freshness of our Pacific Northwest roots with an invigorating burst of citrus,” said Peterson.
“With coconut-derived ingredients, the shampoo gives a creamy foam lather without relying on harmful sulfates or residue,” said Peterson. Rudy’s anti-static formula, rich in Pro-Vitamin B5, is safe for all types of hair, even color treated. The No. 1 shampoo retains moisture, gets rid of static and is gentle for sensitive skin.”
On the conditioner, he noted, “[It] detangles, reduces static and softens hair with an antioxidant-rich formula that also protects against UV and environmental damage. Natural extracts, including lemon peel and black tea, aid in deep conditioning, while Baobab Seed Protein and Vitamin E repair damage, improve elasticity, and strengthen strands. It’s also mild and gentle for sensitive skin.
The body wash, he said, “exfoliates and nourishes with a creamy lather that hydrates rather than stripping skin or leaving a film. A blend of citric and lactic acid gently resurfaces while maintaining skin’s natural pH balance. Jojoba conditions and a blend of essential oils leave you smelling as fresh as you feel.”
He pointed out that all Rudy’s products are “made in the USA with vegan ingredients that are sulfate-free, paraben-free and color safe, never tested on animals and Leaping Bunny certified.”
Peterson emphasized that Rudy’s bathroom products shouldn’t stand out; rather, they should blend in.
“Our formula utilizes only the highest quality of ingredients that truly cater to a wide variety of hair and skin types,” he said. “Being that the product works for everyone, they should be able to live anywhere as well. Starting with the 1, 2, 3 shower system, the product blends into a bathroom no matter what the decor and the simplistic naming allows you to move through your bathing experience with ease from start to finish. Our signature scent found in our shower system makes you feel like you brought the spa to your shower, and the Palo Santo scent found in many of the other products in our line gives a refreshing, clean scent that isn’t overpowering.”
The bath amenities collection can also be found at a few small boutique hotels, according to Peterson, who added, “We are looking to expand the brand into more [properties]. We want to stay with hotel brands that make sense and are like-minded to the Rudy’s brand, ones that you would almost expect our product to be in because of the effortless fit between Rudy’s and the hotel. Right now, many of the inquiries we get are from our established products in the Ace Hotels.”
Rudy’s has also created refillable versions of the shower system components in one-gallon (3.8L) sizes “to bulk up on eco efforts,” Peterson noted, and travel-size versions as well for retail.
The Ace Hotels in Seattle and Portland are also selling other Rudy’s products in their retail shops, such as shower bombs and candles infused with the cleansing properties of the Palo Santo tree