Mike’s career began in the UK – he was raised in English pubs and then trained as a hairdresser upon leaving school. But it wasn’t too long before he was drawn back to the bar business in the 1990s, where he spent the next 25 years involved with a plethora of successful venues.

It was in 2013 that he realised his dream of uniting the cocktail bar concept with that of a barber shop with (aptly named) The Barber Shop, which has gone on to win more than its fair share of Spirited Awards and continues to lay claim to the largest rare and modern gin collection in Australia.

Our wide-ranging chat with Mikey can be heard in the above player or at the below links.