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Rediscovering the Barbershop
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For the past few months, I’ve been having my haircut at various barbershops. For most of my life, I went to unisex salons that reeked of perm chemicals and mousse. Every time I’d go, I’d walk away with a bad haircut. On top of that, I always felt out of place. Most of the clients were usually women and a woman was cutting my hair. I’d just go in, sit there silently while the person cut my hair, and leave.
I don’t know why I stopped going to a barbershop. As a child, I went to a barbershop on the main street in my hometown. It was called “The Friendly Barbershop.” I remember being fascinated with all the barber stuff. What I remember most though, was the distinct manliness of the place. Even as a young child, I could sense that a barbershop was a cool hang out for men. Twenty years later, I’m rediscovering the barbershop. You should too.
A Brief History of Barbershops
The 1880’s to the 1940’s were the golden age for barbershops. During this time, men socialized in all male hangouts, and barbershops rivaled saloons in popularity. Visiting the barbershop was a weekly, and sometimes daily habit. Men would stop in not only for a haircut and a shave, but also to fraternize with friends and chew the fat.
During this golden age, barbershops were classy places with often stunning surroundings. Marble counters were lined with colorful glass blown tonic bottles. The barber chairs were elaborately carved from oak and walnut, and fitted with fine leather upholstery. Everything from the shaving mugs to the advertising signs were rendered with an artistic flourish. The best shops even had crystal chandeliers hanging from fresco painted ceilings.
Despite this level of luxury, barbershops were homey and inviting. A memorable and heavenly man aroma filled the air. The smell of cherry, wintergreen, apple, and butternut flavored pipe and tobacco smoke mixed with the scent of hair tonics, pomades, oils, and neck powders. These aromas became ingrained in the wood and every cranny of the shop. The moment a man stepped inside, he was enveloped in the warm and welcoming familiarity. He was immediately able to relax, and as soon as the hot lather hit his face, his cares would simply melt away.
The Decline
Photo by Curtis!
The first blow to barbershops came in 1904 when Gillette began mass marketing the safety razor. Their advertisements touted the razor as more economical and convenient than visiting the barbershop. The use of safety razors caught on, and during World War I, the US government issued them along with straight razors to the troops. Having compared the two razors size by side, upon returning home from the front many soldiers discarded both the straight razor and their frequent trips to the barbershop. Going to the barber for a shave became a special occasion instead of a regular habit.
In the decades after WWI, several other factors combined to weaken the place of the barbershop in society. Companies like Sears began selling at-home haircutting kits, and mom began cutting Junior’s and Pop’s hair. Then the Depression hit, and people cut back on discretionary spending like barber shaves. The loss of male lives in the World and Korean wars also shrunk barbers’ pool of clientèle. Then in the 1960’s Beatlemania and the hippie culture seized the country, and hairstyles began to change. Men started to grow their hair longer and shaggier, and their visits to the barber became infrequent or non-existent.
Even when short hair came back into style during the 1980’s, men did not return en masse to the barbershop. Instead, a new type of hairdresser siphoned off the barbers’ former customers: the unisex salon. Places like “SuperCuts” which were neither beauty salons nor barbershops, catered to both men and women. Many states’ licensing boards accelerated this trend by ceasing to issue barber licenses altogether and instead issuing a unisex “cosmetologist” license to all those seeking to enter the hair cutting profession.
Why Every Man Should Go To A Barber Shop
Photo by Curtis!
A barber knows how to cut a man’s hair. If you’re like most men these days, you’re probably going to some unisex chain salon like Supercuts. I used to do it too. Most of the time, I’d walk out of these places with a crappy haircut. Sometimes, my haircut would look decent for the first week or so, but then it would grow out into a horrible bowl.
The problem is that many of the people who work at salons are not trained barbers. They’re cosmetologists. The difference between the two can spell the difference between a dopey-looking haircut and a great one.
A barber is trained to cut with clippers, the main tool in cutting a man’s hair. Cosmetologists, on the other hand, are trained to use scissors. Their training is also geared towards catering to women’s hair. They become experts in styling, coloring, and perming- things a man has no need for. That’s why when you ask the cute stylist at SuperCuts to use the number 2 on the clippers, you walk away with a bad haircut. She’s probably not well versed in how to use them. But a barber can employ the clippers with finesse.
It’s a great place to chew the fat with other men. When I went to hair stylists, I hardly ever talked to the woman who cut my hair. I’d chat about my family and theirs and that’s about it. The woman who cut my hair usually ended up chatting it with the other women in the salon, while I sat there awkwardly.
Barbers, on the other hand, are interesting guys with interesting stories to tell. On my visits to the barber shop, I’ve met a retried Army Ranger colonel, a musician who spent 13 years on the road in a jazz band, and a man who is the third generation in his family to take up the profession. Each of them had fascinating stories to share. And I in turn feel at ease to say what’s on my mind. There is conversation about politics, cars, sports, and family. Guys read the newspaper and comment on current events. In between the banter, jokes are told and laughs are had. And everyone is involved: the barbers, the customers getting their haircut, and the customers waiting to get their haircut. Adding to the enjoyment is that a variety of men take part in the conversation; young, old, and middle-aged join in the mix.
I think there’s a good argument that barbershops are among America’s last civic forums Where do people go today just to talk with others in the community? Coffee shops? Every time I go to a coffee shop, people are at their own tables minding their own business. The only other place that I can think of is a bar, but bars are now co-ed instead of being bastions of manliness. Graduate student, Melissa Harris-Lacewell, wrote an article about how discussions in traditionally black barbershops shape political ideas in the African-American community. She noted how political debate in barbershops can be vigorous and engages young and old alike. Unfortunately, white Americans are missing out on this experience. So, if you’re wanting to get your thumb on the pulse of civic life in your community, head over to the barbershop.
You can get a great shave. Many barbershops still give traditional single blade razor shaves. You haven’t lived until you’ve experienced the pleasures of a great shave at a barber. This past weekend, I went to a barber here in town to get a shave. I reclined in the plush old school barber chairs that had ash trays in the arm rests, a throw back to a time when people could smoke in public places. Then my shave commenced. The barber first wrapped a hot towel around my face. Next, the barber massaged in a lemon based cream to clean out my pores.
After that, several more hot towels were applied. By then, I was feeling nice and relaxed, on the verge of falling asleep relaxed. The barber then massaged in some cocoa butter to soften my beard. Next, the barber brushed a warm lather into my beard that smelled like man and not like that crappy artificial goo you buy in a can. The barber then took a piece of razor sharp metal and scraped my beard off for the closest, best shave I’ve ever had. Allowing another man to hold a razor to your neck is a good way to remind yourself that you’re alive.
To finish it all off, I got another hot towel wrapped on my face along with a final face massage with a soothing vanishing cream. When I stepped out of the shop, I felt like a new man, ready to take on the world.
It’s a great activity to do with your father or son. Men need traditions that can help bond them together. Visiting the barbershop with your father or son is a great tradition to begin in your family. Many men have been going to the same barber all their life and have introduced their sons to the same chair and the same barber. What a great way to bond with the men in your life!
You’ll feel manlier. Every time I go to the barber shop I just feel manlier. I don’t know what it is. Perhaps it’s the combination of the smell of hair tonics and the all-man atmosphere. But more so, it’s the awareness of the tradition of barbershops. Barbershops are places of continuity; they don’t change with the shifts in culture. The places and barbers look the same as they did when your dad got his hair cut. It’s a straightforward experience with none of the foofoo accouterments of the modern age. There are no waxings, facials, highlights, or appointments. Just great haircuts and great conversation.
When you walk out of the barber shop with a sharp haircut, you can’t help but feel a bit of manly swagger creep into your step. So next time you spot that familiar red and white striped pole, stop in. You’ll be glad you did.
Looking for a barbershop? Make sure to check out our barbershop locater. If you know of shop, please add it to the map.
You really make me want to visit a barber RIGHT NOW! I can remember visiting one on a rare occasion when I was a kid, but he soon retired. At college, the small town I was in had a barber who came to town twice a week, it really is a manlier place. I am now going to put forth the effort to find a barber who can cut my hair, and hopefully, pull out a straight blade too!
I lived in India for 6 months a few years ago. The one thing I miss the most is getting shaved at the barber. This “indulgence” (’the works’ cost a dollar or two) was the highlight of my week, a soothing, refreshing, revitalizing experience I savored in its entirety. Not even a whole body massage compares to the joys of a shave for me. (It happening in a “saloon”, a ubiquitous spelling error in India, was a bonus point!)
I don’t think you need a barber for this experience. My hair cutter is a man who has his own salon and most of his clients are women, but he has a lot of male clients as well. I have been a client of his since I was in the 7th grade. I am now 22. In fact, he cut my hair today and we, as usual, had a great conversation about life. He knows my complicated hair and cuts it well (I do NOT use clippers, and your statement that they are the main tool for cutting men’s hair is something I disagree with).
been reading the blog for awhile now, and am loving it…
i too have had this experience of venturing for people to cut my hair and winding up with a crappy cut. Im 28 and cheap when it comes to haircuts. i used to grow up on a reservation where either your mom did it or you walked the mile down the road to the older gentleman that cut your hair for 5 bucks.
So even up to about a year ago i was trying to find someone that would cut it the way i want. i had gone to this barbershop where i had it cut by a nice guy but honestly paying 20 bucks for a haircut seemed outrageous. but honestly it was one of the best cuts i had in so many years.
so now i am using my friends wife as my hair cutter. honestly she is pretty good but i can see going to a barber and paying the extra cash, there is something about getting it done by a guy that takes pride in giving haircuts.
on another note, i always wanted to try a wet shave but haven’t yet. my facial hair doesn’t grow to fast, not like my hair on my head. i shave like maybe 3 times a week. but i do use a 40’s safety razor, since i have sensitive skin and cant stand the plastic razors.
if you don’t use a safety razor you should give it a try sometime.
There is so much truth in this article. I remember my dad taking me to the local barber as a kid and I still remember the inside of the barbershop. It was just like described above, a very manly place that felt more like a pub than a salon. The barber knew every one of his customers and your business was appreciated. I moved about a year ago to a new apartment the business next to my complex is a barbershop that’s been running for at least the last three decades if not longer and the inside is filled with framed sports page clipping and old sports memorabilia. Since moving here I have gone nowhere else for my haircuts for the very same reasons outlined in the article. It’s been a long time since I have been as happy with my haircuts and the personal service is great. He and his assistant have even offered to trim the troublesome parts of my hair for free if they grow out oddly before my next cut.
The next time I go in I’ll definitely be requesting a shave with my haircut!
Alas if this advice were universal! Where I grew up in North America, this would have held true. The barbers there were so good at cutting men’s hair! But, having moved to England, I’ve found most that most barber shops are filled with barbers who do not speak English and don’t know how to cut hair. To be honest, the only place to get a good haircut from someone who does speak my language is a female hair salon 20 minutes away from my flat. It doesn’t make me feel terribly manly but neither does looking like a doofus for 3 months.
“A barber is trained to cut with clippers, the main tool in cutting a man’s hair. Cosmetologists, on the other hand, are trained to use scissors”
I would say it is the other way around. Real barbers use scissors and blades.
Other than that, I totally agree. Wonderful article, as is this entire weblog.
Great article and dead on. For years I went to a male “hairdresser” who did a pretty decent job with my hair, but was trained as a cosmetologist. He was well trained in coloring and the latest women’s styles, but like you said, nothing that I needed for my hair. Then about a year ago I visited an old school barber shop and it was great. The barber was friendly and had done a great job of filling his shop with authentic barbershop equipment. He also did a much much better job with my hair and used clippers like you said. After a few visits I decided to try out a shave. It was a bit unnerving that first time knowing that basically a stranger is going to be sliding a straight razor down my neck, but it was one of the most relaxing experiences I’ve ever had. I almost fell asleep right there in the barber chair! A shave and haircut set me back $15, but I walked out feeling like a million. Every guy who hasn’t should seek out a good old barbershop asap.
Check it out! I have been following the story of Don Hawelywood for a couple of and am completely envious of anyone living in souther California. His barbershops are the epitome of manliness.
http://layrite.com/
On a side note, if you are looking for a great pomade that washes out and smells awesome, do yourself a favor and pick up some of his. You can thank me later.
When we were kids, we had a travelling barber who would come and cut our hair. Now the only thing that I feel has changed is that we go to him, and he has a fancy chair. The rest is the same. And yes, now I also get a shave.
It’s true about the father and son thing. I look forward to going with my son. He happily follows me now that I don’t make any choices about how his cut should be.
Funny that Daniel mentioned Indian barbers. Almost every barber shop in Malaysia is run by Indians and we regularly get the kind of stuff that he wrote about.
Regards
Hey! I experience the same thing, fathersez. I used to always go to the Indian barber’s, they work very fast too. After a nice cut and shave, some will give you a nice neck cracking.
I have not experienced the small town traveling barber before, since that was during an earlier time. I hear those barbers set up shop under a tree, and there are other hawkers nearby who will sell nice ice-cold treats (nice in the humid/hot Malaysian climate). I wish I was older to experience that, having a manly hair cut in the great outdoors
I went to a barber shop until I was 23 and moved away from my college town.
I tried to find a quality barber shop in my new town, but have not been able to. I don’t know if it’s because they’re not out there or I’m not looking hard enough.
I’ve been going to the same barber shop now for 21 years, from high school to today, and the same guy has owned the place. The Famous Barber Shop in Platte Woods, MO. I would come back from college in Maryville (an hour and a half away) and I’m always glad to be back there. My little boy is coming up on 2 years old and I’m looking forward to making the barber shop a father and son tradition for us.
BTW, my barber uses clippers AND scissors.
You are NOT kidding about how barbershops are a great tradition for father and son. When I was growing up, my dad and I went to the same barber. I even remember going there by myself after school to get a hair cut, and my dad would just pay the barber on his next visit. I’ve moved a couple of times since then, and started going the supercuts route. I’ve searched for barbers here in town (Tucson), and frequent two of them: one opens at 6 AM, which is perfect for my schedule, and the other is a bit of a drive and well worth it when I can fit it in. To me a barbershop isn’t a “real” barbershop unless they finish the collar-line with warm shaving cream and a straight razor. I don’t grow nearly enough of a beard to justify getting a shave at a barber, so this is the closest thing I have. It’s a wonderful experience. I can’t wait until my son’s old enough to sit still in the barber chair so I can start taking him.
Hear hear. In my youth, I went to SuperCuts and had my hair cut by women. My haircuts varied wildly in quality; sometimes they were good, other times they were terrible. As I grew older, I began going to barbershops and haven’t looked back. I may not always get a great haircut, but I’ve never gotten a bad one. The place I’ve been going to for the last four years definitely qualifies as a male preserve: pictures of cars on the wall, Playboy magazines among the reading material, all run by one barber who’s been there for decades and does the little things like use a straight razor on your neck hairs at the end of your haircut to finish things off. Not only do I feel more manly going there, but it also feels good to support a local, small business instead of a big chain like SuperCuts.
In principle, I agree. In reality, I work M-F, 8 to 5 and my barbershop is open M-F, 9 to 5.
When I’m retired, I look forward to the luxury of a real barbershop. Unfortunately, because of their hours, I’m stuck with CostCutters.
Great article. I fondly remember my boyhood barbership. Same place from the age of 6-18, and for many of those years it was a father-son excusion. Over the last decade Ive lived in big cities, where $50 salon haircuts are an option that Ive always ignored, instead opting for the $14 local barber.
I must say that the ‘feel’ of the barbershop for me, is more pronounced in the small towns. In the big city, the barbers don’t remember you and the conversation is weak at best. Supercuts, with its loud techno music and robotic-armyesque buzzers is everything my local barber was not. Long live local barbershops and bazooka gum.
The barbershop I’ve been going to recently boasts at being the oldest barbershop in all of Oregon. It’s claim is justified, being that Oregon City is just about the oldest city in Oregon (founded in 1829 and the first well established cities in Oregon Country, rivaling Portland during the establishment of the Oregon Territory, but ultimately losing that battle and becoming a quaint little town overlooking one of the most misused natural wonder in all of Oregon, the Willamette Falls). I love going to this little place for all the same reasons as described above. The current owner took over the business in the early 90’s, but even he thinks he’s been working there since the dawn of time. It’s really great to have this long time connection to Oregon City. I’ve grown up here, but moved to Slovenia for a while, got married, and started building a life there. Now I’m back in Oregon City, and am really coming to appreciate this little town as my hometown. Going to the barbershop is helping to establish this sense of roots, now that I have a home on two continents.
I went to the same barber, the one my father went to, for the first 25 years of my life. Then my wife and I moved away. By the time we returned to my home town, he had retired. Now I have a desire to take my son to the barbershop. I still remember learning about fishing, politics, hunting, sports, and how to interact with other men when I was a child there. Thanks for the reminder and motivation!
Great post. I may just consider this option again. My old barber is still around and pretty close to my work. While I may not go every time, it may be nice every now and then. And the shave sounds good. Just reading about make me feel relaxed
Keep up the great work!
You are so right in that is a great activity to do with your son. Once a month I take my now 12 year old son for both our haircuts and has been like that since he was like 5. We always enjoy the ambience and camaraderie of the place and is a special bonding time for us.
One thing I´ve been foolish not to consider is to have a shave there as well. I am going to try it this Saturday!
Many blessings,
Art Gonzalez
Check my Squidoo Lens at: Quantum Knights
I stopped going to a barbershop about 8 years ago. I have yet to find a barber who can cut my hair without butchering it. My hair is wavy and wiry and every barber I go to always looks clueless when they start cutting. The only thing they knew to do with it was a high and tight, which is not what I wanted.
I disagree about the main tool being clippers. I’ll take a person with a comb and scissors any day. Barbers who only use clippers don’t have a clue what they are doing in my opinion.
@Newswede-
“’A barber is trained to cut with clippers, the main tool in cutting a man’s hair. Cosmetologists, on the other hand, are trained to use scissorsâ€?’
“I would say it is the other way around. Real barbers use scissors and blades.”
Well that’s what all the barbers told me. Of course they use scissors too. But the point is that a lot guy’s hair needs the clippers, and cosmetologists aren’t good at using them. Cosmetologists never ever use clippers, unless they are cutting a woman’s hair super super short.
@Bryan-Could you go on your lunch break? A shave and a haircut would make for a relaxing hour.
@Johnathan-Yeah barbers may not be for absolutely everyone. They cut hair in a pretty straightforward way, so if your hair is unique likes yours, I can see there might be a problem.
First time poster, love this one. Started wet shaving, and head into a barbershop for a shave for special occasions. Even if I’m just getting my clipped head re-trimmed, I still feel more comfortable amid the Playboys, car mags, and Wired magazines at the local place. . .
As a red blooded male, I’d rather have some hot chick cut my hair than some guy. They generally do a pretty good job. When you go to a barber, you only interact with another man. When you get a woman to cut your hair, you get to enjoy talking to her.
I have recently had the exact opposite experience. I have always gone to a barber and always been less than impressed with the hair cuts. I have curly hair, and that seems to freak out barbers. To give it a fair shake, I suppose I should shop around a bit.
Recently I went to the salon my wife uses. Not only was the shampooing fantastic, they knew how to cut my hair. They used all sorts of gadgets I had never seen at the barber to make my hair lay properly (curls don’t like to cooperate when they are short).
I have to agree with the shave though. I miss that dearly. I also miss them using the straight razor to clean up the back of my neck after the hair cut. It gave a crisp, clean look to the neck line and felt like a million bucks.
Loved the write up. I’ve been going to the same barber for 38 years! The father of the guy I currently use gave me my first haircut. It’s a hour drive one-way, so I don’t get in as often as I’d like.
For me, tradition plays a huge roll in where I go. The place where I got my first haircut? They also gave all three of my boys their first haircuts as well. My wife laughs, but this is something my sons can pass on to their sons.
I have a short write up about my barbershop as well as video of son #3’s first haircut, if you’re so inclined. http://www.minnesota-vacation-guide.com/beauty-salon-in-minneapolis.html
Thanks for reminding my why I have my hair cut where I do.
I doubt a barbershop can properly deal with someone having long hair. Until the day my employer tells me to “cut that crap short” then I’ll be sticking with my hippy hair and salon visits.
Hey! You stole my thunder!
I was just about to write a story about barbershops, but you beat me to it. That’s okay… your article makes for a great read.
Growing up, I used to go to the neighborhood barbershop with my father and brother every month. It was a stately shop, with hardwood floors, nicely upholstered chairs, and the smell of pipe tobacco. And it was run by two Italian oldtimers, with whom my father would converse about politics here in the U.S. and back in the old country.
When my parents moved to a different state, there wasn’t a barbershop to be found nearby. Consequently, we started going to SuperCuts… or my mother would cut my hair with a razor kit she bought… at Sears. (Gotta hand it to mom, though. She didn’t do too bad a job.)
Fast-forward past college and grad school…. I moved back to NYC and found a great little neighborhood barbershop, also run by a few old Italian men. I love going there every 3 weeks or so… getting a nice hair cut (with clippers and scissors)… and even an occasional shave. The conversation is great, whether I speak with the barbers in Italian or with the customers in English. And they know how to cut hair — in 5 years, I’ve never walked out with a bad haircut.
I definitely want to create these kinds of memories for my boys.
Here’s a link I was looking for. I’m not quite sure how to classify this place. High end club/cigar bar? “Barber shop?” Either way, it makes the older barber shops look dated … and cheap.
http://316barberspa.com/
A small nit pit. A good barber doesn’t “scrape” your beard off. They cut it off. Scraping it off would lead to a bad shave and razor burn.
I second the idea about barbershops being a great place for discussion. my dad would take my grandpa and me to the barber when i was a kid. the regulars would be there on saturday morning talking about the local politics and sports. I always got a kick out of it. my dad is a ridiculously reserved and quiet guy, he hardly ever says a word. The only times i ever saw him open up and actually talk were at football games and the barbershop.
Great post.
Highly recommend Mike’s Barbershop in Princeton where my son and I go. More of a 21st Century experience w/LCD TV’s at every station, and enough memorabilia to make a sports bar jealous. But my son and I love the staff there and the free donuts….
I remember as a kid going to the Barbershop, and the thing that sticks with me the most is that’s where I first discovered comic books….and the rest was history…
Ahhh so true. I started going to the barber shop on base when i joined the military. Even now as a base employee four years after leaving the serivce I still go to the base barber shop . I have tried salons or unisex places but honestly women can’t cut my hair worth a damn.
they usually send me out looking something like a muppet. So since i like my hair short on the sides and long enough to gel ontop i head over to the baber shop at the exchange for my 6.25 hair cut every two weeks and just look sharp.
Another factor not mentioned in this article is that different races/ethnicities have different hair textures. my hair is thick and full so i need someone who knows how to cut that kind of hair. usually i try to pick a black or phillipino barber because honestly they give the best hair cuts.
See now this has been a weird subject for me. I personally don’t think ti compromises my masculinity but I have hair that goes past my shoulders. I’ll agree that a barber shop is one of the manliest places you can visit but I’ve grown attached to my hair, moreover people (especially the women) seem to like it.
Great article. I live in okinawa Japan and I have been going to the same Barber here for the past 6 years. I found the place near my old apartment and really enjoyed going there for my haircuts & the straight razor shaves. i recently moved and it’s a 45 minute drive out of my way to get to the barber now, but I still go for all my hair cuts. I just went last night in fact for many of the same reasons mentioned above. Every time I go in they know me, we have nice conversations on what’s happening and what we’re all up too. This is especially enjoyable since it’s all in Japanese and I get to show the locals we’re not all bad foreigners here. The best part of all is the straight razor shave. the exhilarating rush of knowing the guy with the blade at your throat could take you out anytime is a bit unsettling but it’s the best shave ever! If done right you won’t have to shave for 2 days because it’s so close, the disposable razors won’t be able to cut the stubble for that long anyway. I recommend everyone to find a local barber and check it out.
Can’t agree more with this article. Barber shops are a dying breed - some of the last bastions of masculinity left in this increasingly abiguous world we live in. My dad has always taken me to barber shops and not until i starting living on my own did i cease going, mostly because I have a very good friend who is a cosmetologist and cuts our friends’ hair for free. She does a good job, but i still miss walking into that barber shop and getting a trim from someone trained specifically to cut men’s hair, and getting a good conversation out of it as well. As much as i love my friend, my barber has known me longer.
As the son of a barber I can definitely identify with this article. Growing up in a college town was easy for my father, it gave him plenty of business. He owned and operated a one chair barber shop, about as old school as you can get. Although he doesn’t shave people anymore, he still mainly uses clippers for hair. He knows all of his customers, it’s a really cool place to hang out. Me and my brother grew up and spent the our younger days in his barber shop, since he could watch us there. We met many interesting people, guys used to give us candy and money all the time. He charges $10 dollars for a haircut, $8 with a student I.D. It really is amazing how much people appreciate their barbers. He got everything from free tickets to random gifts. I strongly urge every man to see a barber, trust me it’s worth every penny!
For Chicagoans, I highly reccomend Sal’s Barbershop in Roscoe Village. Sal has retired, but the shop was sold to a very good barber who still does straight razor shaves and gives great cuts.
I completely agree, I’ve gone to the same barbers for the past eleven years, and only changed twice when he was moving shop to a bigger area.
The first place I went some was mass produced ’supercuts’ lookalike that cut my hair so badly I looked like a freaking meth addict for a week. It stuck up like crazy no matter what I did to it.
The second place I went was another local barber, nice place, nice guy, cut my hair fine. Not great, but it wasn’t bad either.
I returned to my normal one as soon as possible. He knows just how to cut my hair and always makes good small talk while it happens.
“Written by Brett & Kate McKay”
This is where you fail.
Real men can write articles by themselves. “Hey honey, let’s blog together!” Give me a break.
Also the shave you described sounded like you had some metro sexual shaving you rather than a classic barber. “Cleaning my pores” are you kidding me?
Manliness is dying even where it claims to be being revived, I think I need to go watch Dollars’ Trilogy to clear my head.
I clearly remember what drove me away from a “stylist shop” to a real barber shop.
She said, ” you know coloring will work wonders with hair.”
If you in the Las Vegas area , visit GERARDO’S CLASSIC BARBER SHOP on W, Spring Mountain @ Chinatown area & Alex’s Barber Shop on Sunset right next to the airport. They are the REAL deal on barber shops in Vegas.
Totally disagree most barbers are terrible.
If you work for the governmetn or work in some cubicle and never deal with people getting a bad haircut is fine.
But for must of us who have to deal with people we need to look acceptable so just pay the $35 for a good hair styling at a salon.
Great story. I guess I didn’t realize how much a barbershop is a part of manly culture.
I’ve never had a guy use a straight razor on my beard, but I have had plenty of experiences where a real barber would whip out the straight razor to trim up the hair on the back of your neck. Once I had the experience of having the razor to my neck by a guy who was an Iraqi and me mentioning that I was in the Army during the first Gulf war. This was post Gulf war I and pre Iraqi invasion. He was all for the invasion. His family back in Iraq was middle class and was looking forward to liberation. At that time, we both agreed that there was a good chance that Iraq could emerge as a stable democracy….Well, that was then and this is now. Still, it was awkward having that blade to my throat. I was definitely uneasy. I walked out of his shop with a free knock off bottle off bottle of Michael Jordan cologne as a Christmas gift from his family to mine. I graciously gave him a very large tip.
When I was a kid I used to get my hair cut by a guy named Bruce Whited in my hometown of Piqua, Ohio. Bruce used to be a speedboat racer and there were pictures from his glory days around the shop. There were also a racy photo entitled “A barber’s dream” of a woman with long hair (and nothing else) covering all the naughty bits and a barber about to go to town with his scissors. To top it off, there was a beer mug shaped like a teat. This was pretty heady stuff for rural Ohio, especially when you roll in the sports on the TV set and the banter between the customers. I still get a haircut from Bruce from time to time when I’m in town. I’m not sure if he’s still cutting hair though, it’s been over a year since I saw him.
There’s a nice little barber shop in downtown DeWitt, Michigan that is mostly a male hangout, although there is one girl who cuts hair there. The place is always packed, so I found another place to get my hair cut. You see, there’s this little known unisex shop run by a guy named Frank Antony in Lansing. Frank is Italian and mostly retired. He only cuts hair on Wednesday and Saturday mornings. He’s given me the best haircut I’ve had in years and it’s a pleasure talking to the guy. I do, however, wish there was an all male hangout that had lots of customers — but not too many — and had the right feel to it.
I would, however, disagree with the slam against female stylists. Occasionally it is nice to get your haircut by a really hot female. It’s a bit sensual.
And for those of you who haven’t had a straight razor cut, do yourself a favor and do it. I bought a straight razor a few months back and use it every weekend (it takes too long to shave that way during the work week). It’s a real pleasure. You learn to do it right pretty quickly, that whole pain aversion thing is wired deep!
This is why I switched to straight razor shaving a few years ago, them 3,4, and 5 blade razors still can’t compete with a good old fashioned straight razor. shaving has become a choir, just another thing to do on a long list. It’s nice to take your time and just relax and get a nice good close shave.
My barber Pietro has been cutting my hair for 28 years and was born in italy and never used a clipper in his life.
Its scissors and a straight blade.
His dad’s barbershop in a small town in Sicily didnt have electricity and neither did his graet-grandfather. Old school means no eletric plugs, hence no clippers.
My father in law had a barber shop for 4 decades, never used a clipper too and he is a straight blade virtuoso as well.
For me, a real barber has to be an expert at the blade, not the electric clipper.
Spot on. My dad and I used to go to the same barber shop. Two chairs and two barbers. There was a line of chairs to wait and chat. An old (but color) TVs sat in the corner, always on but volume down, the kind with the ornate wood enclosure that probably weighs 200 pounds. Bass fishing magazines, car magazines, newspapers to read if you weren’t in a talking mood. A haircut was $9, so you could give the guy 10 and say, “keep the change.” And they always went to make change and then thanked you for the tip. They worked those scissors at lightning speed. And when done they’d hot lather your neck and shave it smooth with a straight razor. Only after honing it on a strap, every time, and it didn’t cost extra. Unfortunately I’ve long since moved away, but they’re still open downtown in that southern town.
I just found a barber school in San Diego last week. First time I had been to the town, and it was a highlight of the trip. Not only did I get a shave with a straight, I got them to shave my head with a straight (http://straightrazorplace.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21657) which was a first for me. I’m a longtime Straight Razor user, but I’ve never had my head shaved with one, it was quite an experience.
Thanks
David
i live in nyc, i would think that i could find a barber shop like the idyllic ones you describe, but they all seem to advertise fades, skin fades and buzz cuts.
i am nigh positive that most barbershops, at least in this city, are not to be trusted unless (as stated above) you work for the gov’t.
my last haircut was from a girl in a williamsburg salon who tried to give me her boyfriend’s haircut, which i didn’t want, but she was very understanding and creative with the style i wanted.
do not go to a barbershop in the nyc unless you want something that the least interesting kids in high school had. or a ceasar.
Mannn….i love my barber….I tryed to go visit him today but he was on vacation. BIG NO NO. This is the part that I hate. I went to my backup but he wasent opend on time. So i went to another barber whom I never been to. My buddy said he cuts good hair, but it wasent the same. Finding a good barber is hard VERYYY hard. BARBERS ROCK!
Outstanding post!
I too used to go to a barber shop when I was a kid… Bert’s Barber Shop in beautiful rural Rio Linda, California. Alas, Bert retired and moved away, and I had to settle for the Klip Joint for years. I’ve been searching for a good barber for soem time now, with little success. It seems most of them are now $5 Vietnamese hack joints, or located in ethnically polarized areas.
I’m still looking though… looking for the place that smells like Pinaud Clubman powder, has a subscription to Field and Stream, and has the college football game on the 20″ tv in the corner.
I agree, barbershops are bastions of manliness. I have had one too many ‘cosmetologists’ butcher my hair with a clippers. I’m fortunate enough to have a good, old fashioned barber shop within 5 miles, where I can get a shave and a haircut for about $12. Ya can’t beat that. The toughest decision at the barbershop is usually whether it’ll be the #1, or the #00.
I agree wholeheartedly — barbershops are one of the few remaining strongholds of manliness, aside from auto parts stores and the hometown hardware store. I tried the “unisex” salons a few times in the early 80s, but as described in the post, they frequently butchered my hair. After many, many haircuts in my life, I can say without a trace of doubt that no one can cut a man’s hair like a barber.
Good barbers are truly artists with the clippers. And, IMO, the worst barber that I’ve ever been to STILL gave me a better haircut than the “stylists” that I tried out a few times.
To Sherwin:
To address your statement —
“I do NOT use clippers, and your statement that they are the main tool for cutting men’s hair is something I disagree with”.
I certainly respect your preference — it’s your hair. However, given your stated age, that would put your birth sometime during the height of the “unisex” salon. I would wager that the odds of you having experienced a real barber are small.
I’ve lived a few more years than you have. After many, many haircuts at a barbershops across the land, as well as weekly haircuts during my time in the military, I believe that can safely say that the clippers and comb are most certainly the main weapons in the barber’s arsenal — the scissors come out only for the final clean-up and errant nose/eyebrow hairs — and then, only if necessary.
Some truly great words. I go to the Hair Cuttery and I hate it. I get a different person all the time. If you live in Chicago there is a real reasonable barber in Lincoln Park on Clark directly North of Fullerton Avenue. It’s called Lloyd’s he’s a younger 35 year old guy loves blues music and has a subscription to Playboy…and you don’t even have to feel shy about reading it.
screw the barber, go flowbee!
So true. I lived in Japan way out in the sticks where there was still a mom&pop barber shop. They were old, and so was the clientele. They weren’t overly chatty, not with me, but they made up for it with quality of service.
The whole process took an hour. Whip, lather, spread; scalding-hot towels; wipe, lather, spread, shave. They shaved my whole face, even my forehead, not just the part where the whiskers are, with a blade sharp enough to split protons.
I went to them almost every week for a few months, until they suddenly closed down. They were the last of their kind in that area. I went to the “stylist” with the colored Kenny Loggins hair, but he had a bad attitude and the service wasn’t nearly as good. Oh well.
I love barber shops as well. I’ve gone to one my whole life. I’ve been cut a few times by stylists but the cuts always looked funky. My barber always makes sure that he’s done what I want him to do before I get out of the chair. Straight razors, the scents from the creams and balms, and interesting conversations are just a few of the things I would greatly miss by not going to a barber shop.
Barber shops are a no-brainer. At my local barber shop, I get a great cut, and the shave is awesome. I don’t know why dudes waste their time anywhere else. Some of the best customer service you’ll ever get is at a top barber shop.
I know I’m a woman, I don’t go to barbershops, I have no desire to go to a barbershop but I’m converted to the idea - for men. You made me want to go sit on a bench outside a barbershop with a snack and a girlfriend to watch all the men reaffirmed in their manliness walk out of the joint.
Nice work.
Barbershops are the gayest ever since they took out penthouse magazines. I would rather get advice on my hair from a young attractive woman than some old slob. Do you like you grandpa rubbing your head? If want manly go to strip club or a massage parlor, now that’s manly!
Lord, what memories…
Both my father and grandfather were career Army, and short hair was the rule of the day in my home. I honestly had a terrible relationship with my dad (alcohol had his attention far more than I ever did), but one of the few cherished memories I have as a boy was going to the barbershop with Dad.
Alas, I have three daughters… it looks like the father/son barbershop thing is not for me. However, you’ve inspired me to go look up my local barber, and get a great shave while I’m waiting the next 15 years for a grandson…
forget barber shops, hair cuts cost too much, shaving yourself is way better.
rolling over to larry’s and getting the business when you walked in about this or that and then getting the full on treatment from the old guys who would just hang there - all the italians - whatta place.
fuck yeah, the barbershop!
Man, you’ve brought back a flood of memories. When i was little, every Friday was the day my grandparents went to get their hair fixed, and if it was summertime and i was out of school, i usually went with them (like i had a choice, lol).
Grandma went to a beauty salon on the town square corner, while Grandpa went into the barber shop diagonally across the street. Benny the Barber–a man older than the hills–he’d cut Grandpa’s, Dad’s, and my hair. Grandpa and Benny could talk all day, if it weren’t for Grandma’s impatient foot-tapping on the sidewalk outside of her beauty parlor.
Benny’s shop was narrow, cluttered. It smelled of hair tonic, comb and brush sterilizing fluids, stale tobacco smoke. The main lighting was from the front windows, the incandescent bulbs barely lit the rest of the shop. The floor was dingy and dirty, with a faint black-and-white tile pattern underneath what must have been 60 years of scuff marks, mud and whatever else came inside there. The chrome-framed barber chairs and matching waiting seats were all cushioned with that slippery green vinyl that was popular back in the 40s or 50s, and most had gray duct-tape patching-over in their well-worn areas. A couple of small metal desk fans were usually kept on.
Despite the debauchery appearance of this place, yea, i liked going in there. Grandpa’s long gone, but i’ll always remember our friday afternoon visits to Benny the Barber.