Calgary finds

Just got back from a trip to Lina's market and Italian Supermarket.
Honestly? Expected to see lots more Proraso products then what I saw there.
Lina's only had some aftershave balm and Supermarket had green cream in tub and tube as well as Omega cream in tube.
I was so looking forward to finally getting Proraso pre/after shave cream.
Anybody knows what italian store across the street from Carriage House Inn has?
Anybody knows where to get Proraso pre/after shave cream in Calgary?
And since I'm at it, where can I get Thayer's Witch Hazel After Shave in Calgary?

Slayer,

I'm not in Calgary, but I am in another small town in Canada. (By my definition, large Canadian towns have NHL teams.)

My Proraso pre/post was bought in a Shoppers Drug Mart. (But it was a large one. The smaller ones have even less selection.)

My Thayer's came from a Health Food store - S&H, I think. Is there one out there? (If not, try a few. I didn't find it at the first one I went to.)

Hope this helps. If not, message back.

Paul

slayer666 said:

Just got back from a trip to Lina's market and Italian Supermarket.
Honestly? Expected to see lots more Proraso products then what I saw there.
Lina's only had some aftershave balm and Supermarket had green cream in tub and tube as well as Omega cream in tube.
I was so looking forward to finally getting Proraso pre/after shave cream.
Anybody knows what italian store across the street from Carriage House Inn has?
Anybody knows where to get Proraso pre/after shave cream in Calgary?
And since I'm at it, where can I get Thayer's Witch Hazel After Shave in Calgary?

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I got my pre-post at Lina's about 8 or 9 months ago. I was there a couple of weeks ago and they still had the after shave splash, balm and cream in a tube. Not sure if they don't stock it anymore or if they were just out. Must have sold out over the holidays.

Community Natural Foods is a goods source for Thayers. There's also a health food store in Chinook mall (Second floor, NW mall entrance) that stocks it and will bring in different types if you request them.

Thanx for all replies!
I was at several SDM and couldn't find any traces of Proraso products there at all
I did see Original Thayer's at Superstore at Deerfoot Meadows and at Health Food store at Chinook Center on 2nd floor ( I specifically asked them if this is the only type they have and they said yes, not offering to get what I wanted and I didn't bother asking if they can bring it in)
Is original stuff just as good or should I try to get Thayer's after shave?
I also want to get pre/post Proraso cream, it's a huge city nowadays I can't believe there's such a short supply of good products.
What about that Omar's Barber shop I keep hearing about?

slayer666 said:

Thanx for all replies!
I was at several SDM and couldn't find any traces of Proraso products there at all
I did see Original Thayer's at Superstore at Deerfoot Meadows and at Health Food store at Chinook Center on 2nd floor ( I specifically asked them if this is the only type they have and they said yes, not offering to get what I wanted and I didn't bother asking if they can bring it in)
Is original stuff just as good or should I try to get Thayer's after shave?
I also want to get pre/post Proraso cream, it's a huge city nowadays I can't believe there's such a short supply of good products.
What about that Omar's Barber shop I keep hearing about?

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Weird... the health food store in Chinook brought in two bottles of thayers lavender for me. Given the way the city is growing and that all the retail staff are 12 years old and could generally give a fat rat's behind about acceptable service (dont' even think about getting GOOD service), staff just say stuff to make you go away so they don't have to do anything (yeah, this city is making me grouchy). Try Community Natural Foods for Thayer's stuff. They usually keep Rose and a couple of other varieties in stock.

Omar is still doing straight shaves, I've been for a couple. I can get closer if I do it myself but that's pretty standard from what I've read. For $15 it's great. If you go for a shave, pay attention to how he stretches skin and the pressure he uses. Going for a couple of shaves helped me a lot with my own shaves. Skin felt great afterwards, no irritation or burn at all. He also keeps some Booster aftershaves in stock.

That Community Natural Foods store is in my plans for early next year.
I guess there's no more options left eh?
I was wondering what is the sterilization like at places that do straight shaves. Isn't it sort of dangerous disease wise?

slayer666 said:

That Community Natural Foods store is in my plans for early next year.
I guess there's no more options left eh?
I was wondering what is the sterilization like at places that do straight shaves. Isn't it sort of dangerous disease wise?

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There's always Crabtree & Evelyn and L'Occitante. I'm sure Lina's will stock up on Proraso stuff soon.

Barbers are using disposable blades for the straight saves.

BrianP said:

There's always Crabtree & Evelyn and L'Occitante.

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Yeah but it sort of expensive Is it really worth twice the price of TOBS that can be purchased at Julie's Spa? I got my first tub of Sandalwood cream there for $19.
I didn't realize that barbers use replacement blades, that makes sense.
Happy new year everyone.

slayer666 said:

Yeah but it sort of expensive Is it really worth twice the price of TOBS that can be purchased at Julie's Spa? I got my first tub of Sandalwood cream there for $19.
I didn't realize that barbers use replacement blades, that makes sense.
Happy new year everyone.

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That's a matter of opinion and part of the fun of wetshaving: trying all the different soaps, creams and such that are available.

You'll get a lot of valuable opinions on the forum.

cr8n said:

Slayer,

I'm not in Calgary, but I am in another small town in Canada. (By my definition, large Canadian towns have NHL teams.)

My Proraso pre/post was bought in a Shoppers Drug Mart. (But it was a large one. The smaller ones have even less selection.)

My Thayer's came from a Health Food store - S&H, I think. Is there one out there? (If not, try a few. I didn't find it at the first one I went to.)

Hope this helps. If not, message back.

Paul

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+1 my mom works at a Pharma Prix boutique store in Trois Rivieres and they carry the whole line including alot of Omega Brushes.

Got back from Community store, bought Thayer's original, they also had medicated and lemon.
Also went to a Health food store in Woodbine and they had Rose, lavender, lemon, original and medicated, but more expensive.
Still searching for that pre/post Proraso stuff though.

Forgot to ask, where would I get atomizer for Thayer's? Do I really need one?

slayer666 said:

Forgot to ask, where would I get atomizer for Thayer's? Do I really need one?

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They have small atomizers and stuff and Community Natural Foods. But I've never used one for the witch hazel. I just splash it on.

I was at O'Connors today. Really high end clothing store on 1st and 14th. They carry what seems like a great line up of AOS, Simpson brushes and Geo F. Trumper brushes. Prices seem to be pretty high, but at least you can get this stuff locally.
I was driving all day trying to find vintage Gillette razors, but all theses antique places are so bad. Heritage Flea Market supposedly has largest collection of antique shops, but I couldn't find anything there. Just bunch of junk. Checked few pawn shops, Cash converters, but people there usually ask 3 times to figure out what I was asking.
I'm so envious of people in US finding these great razors for 3 bucks.

I think it might pay off to head south of Calgary (Claresholm, Nanton etc.) to the antique shops there to find some good razors. Even though I am living where I am, I am a born and raised Albertan (my first 30 years) and if I were you I would head out on highway 2 south, even to Okotoks. There are lots of small town pawn and antique shops. (You may even spend less time driving around out on the highway versus in the city). I also seem to remember farm auctions were quite common. You might be able to score on some other vintage razors at one of those. Just my 2 cents.

Thread added to The list.

slayer666 said:

I was at O'Connors today. Really high end clothing store on 1st and 14th. They carry what seems like a great line up of AOS, Simpson brushes and Geo F. Trumper brushes. Prices seem to be pretty high, but at least you can get this stuff locally.
I was driving all day trying to find vintage Gillette razors, but all theses antique places are so bad. Heritage Flea Market supposedly has largest collection of antique shops, but I couldn't find anything there. Just bunch of junk. Checked few pawn shops, Cash converters, but people there usually ask 3 times to figure out what I was asking.
I'm so envious of people in US finding these great razors for 3 bucks.

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I haven't seen much of that. It's the $5 -$10 here for random Gillettes (they're pretty picked over... I've done my best to not leave anything behind ) and the straights that I've seen are wayyyyy over priced (a chipped double duck dwarf for $90...ugh). Anything with a case is way over priced. Techs are pretty common to find around here.

Nanton is worth a look (as Zeth is saying) because of all the antique stores. I've found stuff in about 4 of them. if you're headed that way, but again, it's pretty picked over.

Where did you find the Techs? I wouldn't mind trying one of those out. I was at the Airdrie Antique Mall today but all they had were a few Valet razors made by Gillette.

James

mr_pacman said:

Where did you find the Techs? I wouldn't mind trying one of those out. I was at the Airdrie Antique Mall today but all they had were a few Valet razors made by Gillette.

James

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Can't remember specifically, but I tend to see a lot of the thick handled techs. I think there's that candy/antique shop in Nanton that had a bunch. I think I saw a couple at antique/military shop in Kensington. Can't remember the name, but it's a block or so east of Spolumbo's.

We've got to get a Calgary get together thing going. It'd be a good opportunity to drink beer as well as trade/sell stuff. I've been so swamped with work though (hence not being too active in the forum) that I'm hard pressed to put it together.

Responding to my own first post.
I was at italian store across from Carriage House Inn and they have zero of anything for shaving. Don't bother spending time going there.