Thought I would start a thread on where to buy shaving related stuff in the Washington, DC area, in part because I do not have that many to list and thought other might have places I do not know about.
Rodman's
5100 Wisconsin Ave
Washington, DC
(Downstairs)
By far the best I have found in the DC area. Nothing shaving at the other two Rodman's stores. Decent selection of fairly high end and reasonably priced edts, AS, shave creams, shave soaps, bowels, brushes, face scrubs, hair tonics, I think, but not sure, blades. I do not know about DE razors and I so not think straights. Decent selection of Pinaud/Clubman products. Tweezerman. Thai Crystal. Great and bargain wine, beer, and interesting food and produce store, too. Small appliances, too, by golly!
Shopper's Food & Pharmacy
6360 Seven Corners Ctr
Falls Church, VA
Great ethnic section, in this case meaning Hispanic. Superior 70 Alcoholado, my favorite smelling bay rum at $3.99 750 ml. (I am still looking for the mentholated version, however.) Murray and Lanman Florida and Kananga Water, and various rose, lavender, violet, and other waters made by the same manufacturer and others, all very inexpensive, all pretty much wonderful. Lots of colognes and brilliantines that I really know nothing about that look intriguing. Unusual brands of things like witch hazel. Lots of bath soaps that seem interesting that I have never seen anywhere else. Do not seem to have the M&L Florida Water soap though.
Great Wall Asian Market
2982 Gallows Rd
Falls Church, VA (Merrifield)
Liushen Florida Water (nothing like Murray and Lanman, lots of menthol, very nice after shave, love the bottle) and Snake Brand Pickly Heat Powder (mentholated talc, only in white, so maybe not as good on the face as say Clubman, but very refreshing stuff). Also lots of great smelling very inexpensive bath soaps in sandalwood, jasmine, etc. Probably lots of good stuff like shampoo, hair dressing, and face scrubs if I knew what I was looking at!
Sally's Beauty Supply
Various locations, very hit or miss for men's stuff, but sometimes have decent selection and truly excellent prices on Clubman and Masters products of various type, Jervis hair dressing, things like that. Consistently have talc brushes of several types including classic barbershop versions and what I consider a much superior large, black soft "bristled" brush, that seems indispensable to me, each for very reasonable prices. Good place to pick up a gallon of witch hazel. Maybe some decant bottles.
Safeway
4701 Sangamore Rd, Bethesda
Excellent selection of ethic hair products, this time meaning African American. Murray's (of various types), Royal Crown, 360 Style, lots of other stuff I wish I knew more about.
Walgreens in various locations is okay, not great, and is expensive for Clubman/Pinaud and its own brand of face scrub and shave cream. Does not seem to have Superior 70 in the stores around here, however, although it lists it on-line. Probably a good place for Aqua Velva and the like, though.
Harris Tweeter seems to have a good selection of things like Aqua Velva and Brut, too, as does Rodman's.
Bed Bath and Beyond, too, for the standard after shaves, decant type bottles, and some harder to get items, at least they have had them sometimes, such as ShaveKing products, including shaving oil (not bad actually, if you are wanting a shaving oil, which I do not really) and Pacific Shaving Company shaving oil (which did not seem useful to me).
Bethesda Co-Op, 6500 Seven Locks Rd. Cabin John, MD
Good selection of Thayers witch hazels. Some interesting soaps, but not shaving soaps. Provence Sante edts. Lots of Burts Bee's stuff, but not the bay rum. Things like tea tree oil, if you have a use for that. Probably good for ingrown hairs and razor rash.
Whole Foods must have something of interest, but nothing comes to mind.
I have not been to the Art of Shaving at any of its locations in this area, or to The Grooming Lounge at 1745 L Street, NW, DC or at Tysons Corner. Never saw a reason to go. Can see whatever they carry on line. Have not heard anything of particular interest re The Grooming Lounge as far as products--could definitely see getting a "treatment" there though.
Seems pretty weak, but that is about all I know about. I must be leaving out someone. There are some other Sally's like places around, but none I have been to are any better or much different than Sally's for men's stuff. There must be a barber supply place around here somewhere with interesting things, but I have not found or been to it.
"Over"
Rodman's
5100 Wisconsin Ave
Washington, DC
(Downstairs)
By far the best I have found in the DC area. Nothing shaving at the other two Rodman's stores. Decent selection of fairly high end and reasonably priced edts, AS, shave creams, shave soaps, bowels, brushes, face scrubs, hair tonics, I think, but not sure, blades. I do not know about DE razors and I so not think straights. Decent selection of Pinaud/Clubman products. Tweezerman. Thai Crystal. Great and bargain wine, beer, and interesting food and produce store, too. Small appliances, too, by golly!
Shopper's Food & Pharmacy
6360 Seven Corners Ctr
Falls Church, VA
Great ethnic section, in this case meaning Hispanic. Superior 70 Alcoholado, my favorite smelling bay rum at $3.99 750 ml. (I am still looking for the mentholated version, however.) Murray and Lanman Florida and Kananga Water, and various rose, lavender, violet, and other waters made by the same manufacturer and others, all very inexpensive, all pretty much wonderful. Lots of colognes and brilliantines that I really know nothing about that look intriguing. Unusual brands of things like witch hazel. Lots of bath soaps that seem interesting that I have never seen anywhere else. Do not seem to have the M&L Florida Water soap though.
Great Wall Asian Market
2982 Gallows Rd
Falls Church, VA (Merrifield)
Liushen Florida Water (nothing like Murray and Lanman, lots of menthol, very nice after shave, love the bottle) and Snake Brand Pickly Heat Powder (mentholated talc, only in white, so maybe not as good on the face as say Clubman, but very refreshing stuff). Also lots of great smelling very inexpensive bath soaps in sandalwood, jasmine, etc. Probably lots of good stuff like shampoo, hair dressing, and face scrubs if I knew what I was looking at!
Sally's Beauty Supply
Various locations, very hit or miss for men's stuff, but sometimes have decent selection and truly excellent prices on Clubman and Masters products of various type, Jervis hair dressing, things like that. Consistently have talc brushes of several types including classic barbershop versions and what I consider a much superior large, black soft "bristled" brush, that seems indispensable to me, each for very reasonable prices. Good place to pick up a gallon of witch hazel. Maybe some decant bottles.
Safeway
4701 Sangamore Rd, Bethesda
Excellent selection of ethic hair products, this time meaning African American. Murray's (of various types), Royal Crown, 360 Style, lots of other stuff I wish I knew more about.
Walgreens in various locations is okay, not great, and is expensive for Clubman/Pinaud and its own brand of face scrub and shave cream. Does not seem to have Superior 70 in the stores around here, however, although it lists it on-line. Probably a good place for Aqua Velva and the like, though.
Harris Tweeter seems to have a good selection of things like Aqua Velva and Brut, too, as does Rodman's.
Bed Bath and Beyond, too, for the standard after shaves, decant type bottles, and some harder to get items, at least they have had them sometimes, such as ShaveKing products, including shaving oil (not bad actually, if you are wanting a shaving oil, which I do not really) and Pacific Shaving Company shaving oil (which did not seem useful to me).
Bethesda Co-Op, 6500 Seven Locks Rd. Cabin John, MD
Good selection of Thayers witch hazels. Some interesting soaps, but not shaving soaps. Provence Sante edts. Lots of Burts Bee's stuff, but not the bay rum. Things like tea tree oil, if you have a use for that. Probably good for ingrown hairs and razor rash.
Whole Foods must have something of interest, but nothing comes to mind.
I have not been to the Art of Shaving at any of its locations in this area, or to The Grooming Lounge at 1745 L Street, NW, DC or at Tysons Corner. Never saw a reason to go. Can see whatever they carry on line. Have not heard anything of particular interest re The Grooming Lounge as far as products--could definitely see getting a "treatment" there though.
Seems pretty weak, but that is about all I know about. I must be leaving out someone. There are some other Sally's like places around, but none I have been to are any better or much different than Sally's for men's stuff. There must be a barber supply place around here somewhere with interesting things, but I have not found or been to it.
"Over"
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) vs. having to wait because it's being shipped from Manitoba. Also, buying locally supports local businesses, which encourages MORE local businesses. Of course a niche activity like wet shaving will have a much lower market saturation boundary than say, sports gear.
