New York Times article on the resurgence of the barbershop

[cernel_joson]

The Barbershop Renaissance

Some interesting facts:

"At C. O. Bigelow in Greenwich Village, sales of high-quality brushes and combs from English firms like Kent, along with straight razors that cost $100 and up, and even old-fashioned leather sharpening strops have all risen 200 percent in the last two years, said the company’s president, Ian Ginsberg.

But New Yorkers aren’t the only ones fueling this trend. On eBay, according to a spokeswoman, there’s been a surge of interest in vintage shaving, grooming and barbershop paraphernalia. In comparing a two-week period earlier this month with a two-week period six months ago, she said sales of merchandise returned by the search term barbershop were up 77 percent, sales of Barbicide were up 60 percent, and sales of items found by searching for the words vintage barbershop sign were up 251 percent. On Amazon, archaic devices like straight razors and safety razors, and grooming products (including mustache wax and combs) from Gilded-Age-y brands like Edwin Jagger and Colonel Conk have been selling so well that Amazon created a special category — “classic shave” — to showcase them all. Charles Kirkpatrick, the executive officer of the National Association of Barber Boards of America, said that the number of licensed barbers had grown roughly 10 percent in the last two years, to 245,000 from 225,000."

Be sure to look at the slideshow. They even have a picture of Italian Floid sitting on the counter with a vat of Barbicide.

 

[Mike'sWorld]

"archaic devices like straight razors and safety razors"

Hey, I'm being offended here!!!!

 

[gull]

"They do give a decent haircut at Freemans, and can give you a straight-razor shave if you want it. But be warned: to men used to the Trac II or Mach3, the straight razor shave will come as a surprise. You feel as if you are trapped in a chair while your beard is intently licked off by a mountain lion with an 80-grit-sandpaper tongue. The word “luxury” does not come to mind."

Those unskilled barbers are giving straights a bad reputation!

 

[LarryAndro]

Thanks very much for the article!!!

 

[TEAK]

"archaic devices like straight razors and safety razors"

Hey, I'm being offended here!!!!

You and me both! Damn Yankee's!!!

 

[California Cajun]

"They do give a decent haircut at Freemans, and can give you a straight-razor shave if you want it. But be warned: to men used to the Trac II or Mach3, the straight razor shave will come as a surprise. You feel as if you are trapped in a chair while your beard is intently licked off by a mountain lion with an 80-grit-sandpaper tongue. The word “luxury” does not come to mind."

Those unskilled barbers are giving straights a bad reputation!

I would imagine that barber had to disinfect the chair and loan that customer some pants after he finished that shave.

 

[bananaman]

I love the fact that the "old school" barbershop is making a comeback.

 

[ackvil]

$100 for an haircut! To me that is expensive - but I have not lived in NYC for quite a few years now.

But hey, I guess it's cheap if you recall John Edwards pays $300 for his.

 

[Thebigspendur]

It's still the kind of article most men would read and laugh at as comic relief. They would never seriously consider it. Straight use is still a niche activity as is wet shaving in general.

 

[Nuclearbuddy]

"They do give a decent haircut at Freemans, and can give you a straight-razor shave if you want it. But be warned: to men used to the Trac II or Mach3, the straight razor shave will come as a surprise. You feel as if you are trapped in a chair while your beard is intently licked off by a mountain lion with an 80-grit-sandpaper tongue. The word “luxury” does not come to mind."

Those unskilled barbers are giving straights a bad reputation!

Funniest quote I've read in a while....

I'm not a barbershop local... so unless I'm at some legendary shop... I'm not letting any old man near my neck with a straight.... But I guess that how they get you to pay outrageous prices

 

[dmachine]

Those unskilled barbers are giving straights a bad reputation!

+1

I've gotten a straight razor shave from a local place I could have given myself a much closer shave with my old Fusion.

 

[Crawford Montizano]

Maybe this thread belongs in the Barbershop

This is an interesting article and I have to agree that most of these barbershops sprouting up are trying to sell the vintage main street barber shop. What they are selling? They're selling the Disneyland effect, a facade and fabrication to lure people in. Ever been in a Johnny Rockets? Are these places good? I am sure some are but do some research before going. I don't think I'll be driving to NYC to try them.

Now for some time I been searching for a good barber for some time because I go tried of the Super Cuts, chains places and frankly unisex places. I been going to different barbers and trying to find the right barber for me.

One thing I don't like are appointments in barbershops. I like the first come first serve as that is way it should be done. If you are lucky you have some great conversation an meet some interesting people while you wait. Even if they take appointments there should always be room for new business. I was going to try this new place walked in and needed an appointment. So they didn't get my business especially when I am in a sort auditioning the place.

Another important aspect other than quality of the cut is getting to know your barber and this is a two way street. The longer you use on barber he/she can get to know your hair and the cut can better and better. They can offer suggestions based on your head shape, style and as long as you are asking the the right questions you probably get the better cut. There is something to be said when you walk into place and you can say "the usual," especially if you are needing to keep up appearances due work restrictions or just keeping it professional. Being well groomed really is a must in the professional and business environment.

So after trying a few places (about 7 or 8) and I did keep a mental score card in this process. Here were some criteria:

1. Quality of the cut
2. Price
3. Cleanliness of the shop
4. Products used.
5. Conversation
6. Straight Razor or using straight to shape the nape of neck *

Number 6 was tricky because this has all but disappeared in Connecticut, mostly due to insurance and liability. And the places that do offer it are a little out of my budget (probably because I'm spending it on my own shaving stuff) So that was not a real stringent qualifier.

Needless to say I found a barber I like and luckily it's right down the street. I gave the place bonus points for being closer and lessening my carbon footprint on the world. So now even extra points. After going there for the past few months I finally noticed that hot lather machine right after he finished up, so I ask if he still used it. He said he does to shape the nap of the neck etc and only if people asked. So the next time I told him I'll ask. Up until this point we never even talked about any shaving related things. I'm sure the next time I will be blathering on about this great place called B&B.

 

[TxPhoto09]

"As cute or contrived as these places might seem — many are selling a kind of false nostalgia to customers too young to remember the real thing — several factors are coming together to make this a barbershop renaissance."

Don't give me that crap. Not only am I not too young to remember the real thing, I've been there.

In fact, my son says if there aren't two barbers there named Charlie and Art, and if the magazines on the table aren't Field and Stream and Outdoor Life (and probably Popular Science), it's not a real barber shop.

 

[PrairieShaver]

hahaha...those New Yorkers...I live in a tiny little town in Kansas where we have a REAL barbershop...3 chairs, trophies on the walls(owner's an outdoorsman) F&S and SI in the magazine rack...and they clean the back of your neck with a straight whether you ask 'em or not...so if you got any moles back there you best sit still(never asked for a shave though, Mike's a good hand with the razor but I prefer to shave myself)place looks like it's been there forever...maybe the Dalton Gang got a haircut there before the locals shot 'em up

 

[BlackBard]

Interesting read. My barber is probably in his 70's and is certainly "old school." He only cuts hair, however, in his one chair shop in a small town, population about 6500.

 

[BCatl]

To me this is not a surprise. The population is getting older and they don't need all the "fru-fru" of a stylist (not that there is anything wrong with a stylist). I think we only have a couple in my town that you would actually call a full service barber, but as barbering comes back, I think more shops will ofter more traditional service.

 

[Tom Frost]

One of the -many- great things of living in a small Mediterranean village is not expecting this kind of "resurgence" of old school barbershops- ours has been there for ages. My barber, who is in his early sixties, is a second-generation barber. The place is authentic because it simply doesn't try to: two old barber chairs, the counter full of bottles and scissors and whatnot; another counter for AS and pre-shave bottles (you've got to ask for them), a comfy sofa and some magazines (always featuring women with little or no clothes) and some comics for children. And the pole by the door. That's all. You go in, wait for your turn, read something or chat. Then you sit at the chair (always the left one, wonder if he ever uses the other one) and get a nice, decent, cheap haircut.

No "vintage", "retro" or "neo" anything, no tattooed 50s style guys, no swing at the radio, no polished black and white tiles.

Have to try the second barbershop sometime. I'll tell you when I do.

 

[buyandhold2018]

"As cute or contrived as these places might seem — many are selling a kind of false nostalgia to customers too young to remember the real thing — several factors are coming together to make this a barbershop renaissance."

Don't give me that crap. Not only am I not too young to remember the real thing, I've been there.

In fact, my son says if there aren't two barbers there named Charlie and Art, and if the magazines on the table aren't Field and Stream and Outdoor Life (and probably Popular Science), it's not a real barber shop.

Up here it's Rocco, Tony & Vincenzo

 

[Greglam]

Up here it's Rocco, Tony & Vincenzo

Barbers (along with everything else) are a dying breed here in Steubenville, Ohio. Formerly referred to as "Little Chicago", this home of Dean Martin and Jimmy the Greek, was once a town full of barbershops, most of them Italian. They cut hair during the day and worked at back room casinos at night. My barber is a high school friend of my dad's, and he is the son, grandson, and nephew of barbers. Needless to say he IS old school. Happily, his son, who is a few years younger than I, took up the family trade and cuts hair at the chair right next to his old man.

With God as my witness, he has the same signs and magazines in that shop that he did when I was going to him in high school, and I'm nearly 42 now. And I don't mean "the same magazines" as in "he still subscribes to the same magazines..." I mean THE SAME magazines. LOL

While he takes appointments, and has for many many years, because it had always just been him cutting hair the waits had gotten so long he was actually losing business, you go in, shoot the breeze, solve the world's problems, he gives you a steady, reliable haircut, cleans up your neck with warm lather and a real straight, slaps on the Clubman and a little talc, he tells you to "take the rest of the day off" and you're out the door a mere $11 lighter than when you walked in.

This put a smile on my face just thinking about it.

 

[Tolduonce]

Interesting article. Almost didn't read it after looking at the first photo though. Is it just me, or is the barber giving the guy the straight shave way too close to the other barber with the clippers? Seems as though they're almost leaning on each other. Hoping that was staged and not the way the operate there.