Art of Manliness - Latest Comments in Rediscovering the Barbershop

Re: Rediscovering the Barbershop

thomas shy — Fri, 13 Jun 2014 00:01:42 -0000

I am a journeyman barber and unless you are a barber you cannot do shaves and the barber shop is a masculine setting no salon can quite copy this, in todays barbershops you have to use all your tools that sets you a way from salons

Re: Rediscovering the Barbershop

Mike — Sat, 07 Jun 2014 19:51:23 -0000

All American Barber Shop in Aiken, SC Old school all the way...period chairs, hot towels, 3 barbers and a shoe shine boy! One of the last bastions a man can take his boy to for a real male experience. No political correctness to adhere to, men of all walks talking and laughing with other men.

Re: Rediscovering the Barbershop

Matthew E. — Wed, 28 May 2014 02:53:10 -0000

Growing up I never went to the barber shop, my mum always cut my hair. Recently, as I have moved out of the house, I have been to a number of salons and stylists in an effort to find a look that not only works great for me, but also is easy to maintain. Eventually, I stumbled upon a barber shop in the city called The Elephant in the Room. Strange name, isn't it? After one visit I won't go to any other place. I understand now why my grandfather was always shooting the breeze with his barber. The barber shop really is a lost jewel.

Re: Rediscovering the Barbershop

SHEars — Sun, 25 May 2014 20:51:23 -0000

As a barber who has held a license for over 25 years, one of the best reasons I can argue for choosing a barber over a cosmetologist is the fact that they are required to maintain very high standards of hygiene. Hygienic equipment, supplies, tools, hands, products, etc. Remember, you are essentially sharing all of these things with countless strangers. Do you really want to play roulette with whatever microbes those strangers may or may not be carrying around with them? Barbers have known and understood this for ages, and they take that responsibility seriously, whereas cosmetologists are not trained or required to do this at anywhere near the same standard. It IS a dying art, which is sad and scary.

Re: Rediscovering the Barbershop

Kevin — Mon, 28 Apr 2014 05:35:11 -0000

After falling into the Supercuts and unisex salons here in Norman, OK, I found a great barber shop where the older guys knew how your hair should be cut, rather than asking what kind of cut you wanted. They always made me look good. Sadly, they have all passed on. Now I go to Midway Barber Shop on Main Street. It has been in operation since 1893. The guys there are all great, and it's a fantastic feeling being part of that history of more than 121 years!

Re: Rediscovering the Barbershop

Joe Spy — Thu, 24 Apr 2014 03:04:00 -0000

Once in my 55 years, I ventured into Supercuts...never again. I found a real man's barbershop, Wilson's, in Redlands, in So Cal. There, you can get a free beer or soda, play chess or checkers, watch the TV, or listen to an endless stream of blues on the jukebox. Straight razor shaves, pomade, the works!

Re: Rediscovering the Barbershop

Jeff — Sun, 20 Apr 2014 10:43:41 -0000

Just a little point that you missed... Where I go, both barbers are women, and they do just fine. They are friendly and do a fine job. Older women sometimes get haircuts there. A barbershop doesn't have to be an exclusively male environment--just a place where guys feel comfortable.

Re: Rediscovering the Barbershop

Sahil Dhaliwal — Sat, 05 Apr 2014 01:02:55 -0000

My father has refused to take me anywhere other than a men's barber shop for 15 years. That is where I learned respect, fortitude, and what are stupid things to say. The one day I went for a hair cut with my mother, I learned the amount of blood that flows through a single earlobe.

Re: Rediscovering the Barbershop

Brian — Wed, 26 Mar 2014 21:42:02 -0000

I remember the barber shop my Great Grandfather took me to as a young lad and I never went to another shop till he retired, It was a small place with one barbers chair and about six or seven chairs in a semi circle around it, The place was heated by a wood stove in the corner, the barber smoked a pipe, he had animal mounts that he hunted hung all over the walls, he had a full complement of barbers tools including a vacuum machine to suck the cut hairs out of your hair, everyone got a shave unless you told him not to. Every thing cost $2,$3 with the shave, but everyone paid him $5 for the great work he did. It wasnt till I was married and he retired that I actually had to talk to the person cutting my hair about how to cut it. My first time at a salon I walked out because when I sat down the girl asked me how I wanted my hair cut, and I told her if you dont know how to cut a mans hair your not touching me. Still looking for a good barber shop around where I live now, I miss everything about it

Re: Rediscovering the Barbershop

Scott — Sun, 23 Mar 2014 00:23:59 -0000

About 15 years ago a friend and I found a barber shop on State Street in Santa Barbara one day. We didn't have the time or money ($7.00 at the time) so we went back a week later. It was amazing! I didn't need to shave again for almost a week.
If you find one that does shaves, GO! You'll never forget it.

Re: Rediscovering the Barbershop

Erica — Wed, 05 Mar 2014 16:10:58 -0000

I love the article! A lot of places like Great Clips and all sorts of shops like that have taken a big part of the barber shop clients which has made them harder to come by. I actually own my own barber shop in New York and have it all set up like we're in a real Barber shop back in the day! You should come check out our site just to know there are still some GREAT barbers out there! Good luck to you and everyone else looking for a great new barber if you current one is retiring or just retired!

Re: Rediscovering the Barbershop

Madden — Mon, 03 Mar 2014 13:52:40 -0000

Unfortunately for me, my childhood barber suffered a stroke and has retired. His daughter took over and lets just say she can't cut mens hair if her life depended on it.

Now I'm not trying to be over dramatic for effect or anything, but losing a skilled barber who has been cutting your hair for a good 20 odd years is like losing a family member!

Re: Rediscovering the Barbershop

blah blah — Sat, 01 Mar 2014 20:32:57 -0000

Call me minimalist, but I prefer to shave & haircut myself. A safety razor in the shower, and a set of clippers with guards for a 10 minute cut. I get the satisfaction of doing it all myself, save my money, and feel like a self-sufficient man.

Re: Rediscovering the Barbershop

Walter — Sat, 15 Feb 2014 19:08:32 -0000

I well remember going to an old school barber in the early 1980s when I was real tired of unisex salons and long hair. The old guy said to me that it wasn't too often a young guy came in asking for a 1940s haircut (I was 24) This was a real old barbershop on Market Street in San Francisco. Yeah guys, a straight old line clientele, believe it or not. I wanted a short business cut for going to work downtown. Never again have I gone to a salon or anything approaching it.
Since I've always gone to shops that are traditional and have found that women barbers (I've had a few when they were working in them) didn't know how to do conservative traditional men's haircuts. Sexist, I know, but I've had more that one male barber say the same thing.
Anyway, I chalk it up to my Dad, WWII Navy who always had my brothers and I wearing short hair even in the 1960s.
I'm real glad it's back and hope it's here to stay.

Re: Rediscovering the Barbershop

tas kulit — Mon, 10 Feb 2014 02:07:34 -0000

Sometime after I got out of the Navy I started going to my grandfather’s barber for $5 cuts. In August of ’96 the conversation was naturally the presidential election coming up that November.

Re: Rediscovering the Barbershop

Jon — Wed, 29 Jan 2014 03:50:52 -0000

Sometime after I got out of the Navy I started going to my grandfather's barber for $5 cuts. In August of '96 the conversation was naturally the presidential election coming up that November. The talk started about Bob Dole and made it all the way back to Truman (a lot of old timers). One gentleman said "Truman saved my life" then he went on to explain how he had been in the Marines on some South Pacific island training in preparation for invading Japan when Truman dropped the bomb. What history in the barbershop. I now live two hours away and have another old barber here with more great stories.

Re: Rediscovering the Barbershop

Chris — Sat, 25 Jan 2014 19:45:06 -0000

I remember going to a real barbershop when I was a kid. I vividly remember the ashtrays on the arms of the barber chair and the conversations, the smell of men and their vices and their tonics, shave creams.....man, I missed it for a very long time. I moved about 150 miles away after college and looked for one after that. After I got married and we moved to a new place, I fell into the trap. A flourish of Great Clips franchises opened up around us. I am balding and wear my hair short for work, so I figured, what the heck? Why worry about it? My wife and I took our daughter and our son there and that was all they knew. It was all HE knew!

Then, one day, a place opened up near us and I saw a barber pole outside! It even lit up and spun like the ones I grew up with. I ventured in one day and met my barber, Kevin. He's a little younger than me but he had his Barber School diploma hanging right there by the mirror, behind the barbicide, and to the right of the Clubman Pinaud powder container. I sat down and he offered me a drink....water, soft drink....or beer! Oh yeah! He started by asking what size guard I wanted and I knew I was definitely in the right place. He finished with the clippers and went to finish with scissors. Then he tipped me back over the sink and started the water while he got a hot towel and placed it over my face. I got a wash and then he shaved the back of my neck with a cut throat razor. Awesome!

Well, I took my son later that week and explained to him before going in what it means for a man to get his haircut in a different place than the girls. He now talks to Kevin like he was a familiar friend, which he is now, I guess. My mother visited one week and she got instructions to take him to get a haircut from my wife. My mother, making sure, asked if it was the Great Clips a few blocks over. My son, before my wife could say anything, said "No Grandmother. I go to a barbershop now where men go."

It's in a new shopping center and the prices aren't what they are in many smaller town barbershops, but I don't mind paying for a quality cut and great experience. I can drop in anytime for Kevin to clean up the back of my neck for free. I may go for the $26 shave with the straight razor for my birthday. At that price it is once a year, but I look forward to it.

Re: Rediscovering the Barbershop

Travis Russell — Fri, 24 Jan 2014 07:45:39 -0000

This is really a well written post and captures the sentiment that we all look for beyond the materialistic salons that seem to be the only option these days. The closest I have had to this experience is when I travel for work to our district office. There is a traditional barbershop where you can walk in for an appointment, sit and read the newspaper while eavesdropping on the conversation between the barber and the customer ahead of you and even smirk or comment if you so choose to join in on the conversation. It is a place with traditional leather and brass chairs that when you sit down you know you are getting a man's haircut. When you sit down in the chair you feel you can talk to the barber about anything from where you work to where you go to church, without apology or excuse. I enjoyed being able to sit and wait and not feel uncomfortable due to the overwhelming smell of perfumes and hair products, where men can converse as men do. To top it all off, it is directly across the street from a flat front hardware store with hardwood floors and everything a hardware store should have, from tools and twine to hunting and fishing equipment.

Re: Rediscovering the Barbershop

BC — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 21:27:35 -0000

Well written! I only go to barber shops to get my haircut. Like the author, I've had a few chain salon cuts, and they're uniformly terrible. There's absolutely nothing like visiting a barber shop, not only because of the high-quality cut but also due to the conversation and the general atmosphere.

Re: Rediscovering the Barbershop

David Rojo — Mon, 20 Jan 2014 00:28:13 -0000

I love going to a traditional mens barber. Thing is there are far and few in-between. The barber I go to now is a modern day traditional barber shop. The barber is Salvatore who is obviously italian, young around my age mid 30s. He does straight shaves regularly but I haven't done it yet. Great haircut and european soccer is almost always on. Great article.

Re: Rediscovering the Barbershop

Craig H — Fri, 17 Jan 2014 15:47:54 -0000

I visit a Turkish barber named Allein. I usually take my son too. There is a language barrier to contend with but I always take the time to get to know him.
He always remove ear and nose fuzz with a burning taper too. When I first saw him lighting up and coming towards me I was like “What the hell are going to burn with that?”; I’m used to it now. He always concludes the session with a spray of cologne. His barbershop smells great.

Re: Rediscovering the Barbershop

celana chino — Fri, 10 Jan 2014 03:57:01 -0000

Re: Rediscovering the Barbershop

Terrance — Fri, 10 Jan 2014 02:12:23 -0000

Ah! I remember when I went in to get a cut and the barbers son go out school and came in with a scooter and did tricks and stuff it had a way more chill vibe than a supercuts or what ever. Also watching Blue Mountain State inside was nice.

Re: Rediscovering the Barbershop

Chino — Tue, 07 Jan 2014 08:22:24 -0000

i love to cut my hair in barbershop not saloon.
barber know how to cut mens hair. :)

Re: Rediscovering the Barbershop

Abiodun Saka — Thu, 02 Jan 2014 05:25:28 -0000

Good to be a barber when you know actually what you love to be doing without stress. I found my self doing it because during my apprenticeship I was looking at my master the second they I started barbing people so the desire for some thing and you wont just relent like that many things will come up that will not want you to become who God has predestined you to be the only way to be that person is by been focus,determine and dont relent in what you have started keeping doing it and perfection will come out of you without stress. This is the time you would find out that hand will bring people to you and your ways of attending to customers also matters and goes a long places so your place of work most be clean at all time after a cut clean u the floor it might be by sweeping or mopping the floor as well any one make sure your customers are always happy coming to your shop to relax by using the opportunity of sharing their pains or things that troubles them. Barbers shop should be a place to welcome people to add beautity and give them a nice cut with an handsome and beautiful look so be berry careful the ways at wish you are holding your device for cutting hair to learn more mail me @ abbeyzak@yahoo.com or add me on my facebook Saka Abiodun Luke. see you soon.