Jennifer Lee spent years trying to buy a commercial space at Lake Anne Plaza. The previous owners turned her down. When the property finally hit the market, she grabbed it.

Now approaching eight years at 11404 Washington Plaza W, Suite C, Lee's Barberland Gentlemen's Grooming has become one of the highest-rated barbershops in Reston. The shop earned a Top 5 Reston Business recognition in 2025, according to The Reston Letter, and Quality Business Awards ranked it No. 1 among Reston barber shops for 2026 with a quality score above 95 percent.

Lee's path to barbering was anything but direct. She started as an elementary school art teacher in South Korea, taught at a teachers college in Thailand, then moved to the United States and worked for Samsung. She pivoted to business ownership with a barbecue restaurant in Vienna, Virginia, before training in cosmetology.

"There were many similarities between teaching elementary art and learning cosmetology," Lee told The Reston Letter in an Aug. 6 profile of the business.

Her first barbershop operated in leased space in Vienna. Lee wanted to own the building, not just rent it. She approached the Lake Anne property owners about selling, but they declined. Years later, the space appeared on the market. Lee told The Reston Letter the plaza's modern design and large windows drew her in, offering views that make the shop feel connected to the natural world.

The shop runs seven days a week with four barber chairs and a staff offering traditional haircuts, straight-razor shaves, beard trims and facials. Walk-ins and online appointments are both accepted. Lee described her customer philosophy as simple: she consults with every client and tries to make the experience easy and relaxing.

Barberland fits the mold at Lake Anne Plaza, where every storefront is independently owned. The plaza, envisioned by Reston founder Robert E. Simon and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2017, has no chain stores. Most businesses there are women-owned or run, according to a Fun in Fairfax VA guide to the village center.

The plaza continues to attract new tenants. Kinship Wine + Wares opened at 1635B Washington Plaza on July 11, joining neighbors like Lake Anne Brew House, Kalypso's Sports Tavern, Reston's Used Book Shop and New Trail Cycling. Fairfax County is also continuing its planning process for the future of the 62-year-old village center.