CallataGuidesBusiness phone system for barber shops in Virginia Beach, VA-NC
Barber shops in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metro area: 49 establishments in 2023, the local area codes, and what phone service costs a 3-person team.
- Establishments
- 49CBP 2023
- Employees
- 134mid-March 2023
- Per 100k residents
- 2.7U.S. 2.3
- Rank
- 34th of 264areas by count
Barber shops in Virginia Beach, VA-NC by the numbers
There were 49 barber shops in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metro area in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns (NAICS 812111, Barber Shops). Together they reported 134 mid-March employees and $4,433,000 of payroll for the year. That ranks 34th of the 264 metro and micropolitan areas where Census published a count for this industry.
With 1.8 million residents in the Census 2024 estimate, that is 2.7 barber shops per 100,000 people, 19.2% above the national rate of 2.3. Establishments average 2.7 employees, 26.6% below the U.S. average of 3.7. Payroll per employee comes to $33,082, in line with the national $33,667.
| Measure | Virginia Beach, VA-NC | Virginia | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments | 49 | 260 | 7,789 |
| Mid-March employees | 134 (moderate noise) | 973 | 29,017 |
| Annual payroll | $4,433,000 | $35,204,000 | $976,905,000 |
| Employees per establishment | 2.7 | 3.7 | 3.7 |
| Payroll per employee | $33,082 | $36,181 | $33,667 |
| Establishments per 100,000 residents | 2.7 | 3.0 | 2.3 |
Census County Business Patterns 2023 (mid-March employment; annual payroll). Employees and payroll flagged high-noise are shown but not used in the text. Residents: Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Team sizes at barber shops in Virginia Beach, VA-NC
Of the barber shops in Virginia Beach, VA-NC that had employees in March 2023, 79.6% had fewer than five (the U.S. share is 75.5%). 93.9% had fewer than ten. Small teams usually share the phone: the person who answers is often also serving a customer or doing the job, which is when calls get missed.
| Employment size | Establishments | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–4 employees | 39 | 79.6% | 75.5% |
| 5–9 employees | 7 | 14.3% | 14.4% |
| 10–19 employees | 3 | 6.1% | 7.8% |
| 20–49 employees | not published | — | 2.0% |
| 50 or more employees | 0 | 0.0% | 0.2% |
Employment-size classes count establishments by mid-March 2023 employment. Establishments with no March employees are excluded from the size classes, so shares are of establishments with employees. Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023.
Why the phone matters for barber shops in Virginia Beach, VA-NC
Barbers are busy with clients all day, and calls for appointments and wait times often go unanswered. Capturing calls and texting back helps fill chairs. That holds for barber shops in Virginia Beach, VA-NC as much as anywhere.
A few of the calls that come in to barber shops in Virginia Beach, VA-NC:
- A client calls about hours.
- The shop calls a client about a cancellation.
- A client calls to ask about walk-in wait.
After-hours calls
After-hours calls are mostly booking requests.
Business-hours routing in Callata sends calls to voicemail, a teammate's cell or an AI agent once the day ends, and voicemails arrive transcribed with an urgency flag.
Callata vs. per-seat pricing for barber shops in Virginia Beach, VA-NC
The average barber shop in Virginia Beach, VA-NC has 2.7 employees, so a 3-person team is a reasonable benchmark. Priced per seat, 3 users would run $90.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core and $74.85 on Ooma Office Pro (month-to-month list prices, checked September 28, 2026). Callata is $99.00 a month with 5 users included, which is more than either per-seat plan for 3 people; it becomes the lower price at 4 users or more.
At this team size the per-seat plans cost less than Callata's $99 base price, which already covers 5 users; Callata becomes the lower price from 4 users.
| Provider (plan) | Pricing basis | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Callata (Callata Office) | $99 incl. 5 users, $20 per extra user | $99.00 | $1,188.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $57.00 | $684.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $69.00 | $828.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $74.85 | $898.20 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $81.00 | $972.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $90.00 | $1,080.00 |
Competitor prices are each vendor's published month-to-month list price per user for its lowest plan that includes business calling and texting, checked September 28, 2026: Quo Starter $19, Nextiva Core $23, Ooma Office Pro $24.95 (Essentials excludes texting; one-time $29.95 activation not included), Dialpad Standard $27, RingCentral RingEX Core $30 ($20 billed annually). Prices exclude taxes and fees and may change; annual contracts lower some competitors' prices.
Getting a local number in Virginia Beach, VA-NC
NANPA records place the exchanges of the area's named cities and towns in 3 area codes. 757 has the most, with 69 of 85 exchanges (81%). Callata's plan includes up to 3 local numbers; you can pick them in the area codes your clients recognize, subject to carrier inventory, or port the number you already have for free.
| Area code | Exchanges | Time zone | In service since | Overlay with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 757 | 69 | Eastern | 1996 | 948 |
| 948 | 11 | Eastern | 2022 | 757 |
| 252 | 5 | Eastern | 1998 | none |
Exchanges are NANPA-assigned central office codes (NPA-NXX) in the rate centers matched to the area's named places. Source: NANPA utilized code and NPA reports.
Setting up Callata for a barber shop in Virginia Beach, VA-NC
Callata is a business phone system priced at $99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user. Callata Office includes up to 3 local business numbers, unlimited inbound calling, 1,500 pooled outbound US and Canada minutes per user each month, a browser softphone that can also ring your cell, voicemail with transcription, call recording with AI summaries, business-hours routing and E911 on every number.
If you already have a number in Virginia Beach, VA-NC, porting it to Callata is free. Texting from a local number requires a one-time carrier registration (10DLC, $49), and the numbers available in any area code depend on carrier inventory when you choose them.
Optional AI agents (receptionist, sales, support or scheduler) can answer calls after hours or when nobody picks up, take messages, text, email and transfer to your team. They are billed from prepaid AI minutes at $0.25 per minute, identify themselves as AI, and may only place outbound calls to people who consented, between 8am and 9pm.
Frequently asked questions
How many barber shops are there in Virginia Beach, VA-NC?
Census County Business Patterns counted 49 barber shops in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metro area in 2023. They employed 134 people in mid-March.
What does a business phone system cost for a 3-person barber shop?
At month-to-month list prices checked September 28, 2026, 3 users cost $90.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core and $74.85 on Ooma Office Pro. On Callata, $99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user, the same team pays $99.00.
What area code should a barber shop in Virginia Beach, VA-NC use?
Area code 757 has the most assigned exchanges among the area's named places, followed by 948 and 252. If you already have a local number, you can port it to Callata for free.
Can an AI receptionist answer calls for a barber shop?
Yes. Callata's optional AI agents can answer when the team is busy or closed, take a message, text, email or transfer the call. They disclose that they are AI and are billed from prepaid AI minutes at $0.25 per minute.