Why I like Barbershops

Posted by | April 17, 2003 | diary | No Comments

Ken Layne offers sound advice for haircuts:

“Anyway, when in doubt, go to the barber shop closest to your local military base … unless that base houses Marines, in which case you may just want to leave your hair as is.”

I like old fashioned barbershops – currently I go to one that hasn’t changed since the 40’s (including the barbers) and is located opposite the Bank of America on Pine St. in San Francisco.

It offers the following key barbershop features:

1. 15 minute turnaround, no appointment.

2. Cab-driver style conversation.

3. Overall ambience of the urinal area in an expensive old hotel.

4. Proper barber chairs – expensive poncy salons have chairs that are not designed for cutting hair.

5. Non-PC reading material.

6. Hair cut facing away from mirror.

7. No referring to hair gel, pomade or grease as ‘product’.

8. Ability to pretend to be Al Capone whilst wearing cape.

Of course the haircut looks like a stray dog has chewed at your head, but who cares.