In the Barber Shop

I got my hair cut today.  For the past few months I’ve been trying out the hippie-stoner look: long, unkempt hair.  My inspiration was the CSNY song “Almost Cut My Hair,” I guess I just felt like letting my freak flag fly.  But, alas, only thing that look got me was dandruff.  So, it was time for a shape up.

I noticed a barber shop just off campus the other week, so I figured after class, I’d head on over.  The place is called Rinaldo’s Barber Shop.  Inside, the only thing that betrays that it is the 21st century is the cash register.  Everything else is straight out of the mid-1900′s.  Brick walls, porcelain pedestal sinks,  worn in tile flooring, etc.  You’d have to see it to get the feeling.  It was awesome.

While my barber, Jeff (who by the way gives a mean hair cut), was cutting my hair, I did some thinking.  Being in Rinaldo’s reminded me of another barber shop I used to go to.  Al’s.  Al was an old timer who ran a similar establishment, cutting hair the way it should be cut–no frills, a hot lather shave, and personable service.  My dad used to pick me up after school and take me to see Al.  After my hair cut, Al would open up a tin box on top of his cabinet and give me a pretzel stick.  More often than not, they were a little stale, but I didn’t care, Al was the man.

Barber shops in America might be the last bastion of Business-Americana.  While other industries have modernized and computerized, barber shops have remained largely the same as they were in 1950.  Sadly, I see less and less of these privately owned shops with barber polls outside, and more more of the chain hair style salons like Hair Cuttery.  Now, I would be remiss if I led you to believe that I have gone to barber shops my whole life, because I haven’t.  But from now on, my business will go to old timer barber shops.

The benefits of these establishments are great.  Not only was I supporting small business, but the price was exactly the same as in the chain salons.  Also, the things you can hear and learn in these places are amazing.  Today, I heard the barber next to me telling war stories, from WWII.  Hell, I even got my first hot lather shave, with a straight blade.  Try asking for that at your local Hair Cuttery.