A Hair-Brained Thought

[Art Fawcett]

Central Point, just north of Medford.

 

[Michaelson]

There are still a few of the old timers here in Tennessee who have the old barber chairs, deer heads handing on the wall, and months old 'Field And Stream' magazines on the table next to the waiting chairs. I used to go to the same barber all my life until just after I got married in the mid 70's. He then died of a heart attack, and I couldn't find any barbers worth a hoot in my home town. My wife started cutting my hair, and she's done it ever since for the past 28 years!

(Born in 58, eh, Andy? Youngster. There are quite a few older folks around here, including me! (grins))

Regards. Michaelson

 

[havershaw]

Art, that was a really great story.

My wife is a hairdresser, so I kind of feel like it would be stepping on toes to go somewhere else...but she has a lot of vinatge haircut instruction booklets and things like that. While we were traveling in Pittsburgh, she ended up in the hospital (the warranty on her gallbladder had apparently just expired), and I was in dire need of a haircut. Seizing this rare opportunity, I went to a local barber shop and had a great experience. Not only was it a bunch of old guys and me, but I got the neck shave with the stright razor. Plus, I had not been to Pittsburgh in a few years and had not lived there in more than eight. This meant I could lament all the buildings in Pgh that are no more. Good times.

 

[Art Fawcett]

Havershaw,
I didn't mean to be a thread stopper. I think that this experience was an eye opener for me. As with most people , especially out here in San Francisco, the pace of life in general is so hectic and it is so difficult to really get ahead that I forgot what meaning simple things had. Haircuts, until this last year were like many things in life that were just necessitites, not to be enjoyed, just get it done & move on th the next task. Food is that way for me also, just fuel. The experience with my father was a jolt into looking again at things differently and remembering the what is important. I spend most of my time taking care of business, VERY little time with friends, in fact, we don't get invited anymore because we spend so much time working that they don't bother. And, I don't blame them.
BTW, my entire family is from Pittsburg. My Dad was born & raised there. Janene and i traveled there about 10 yrs ago & I didn't recognize the city. SO CLEAN!!! IN the 60s all of the buildings were black. Not anymore.

 

[jpdesign]

On the northwest corner of 5th and main in Downtown Fort Worth there is and Art Deco Building that is beautiful to walk into. In the main hall is a barber shop that seems to have been there since the building opened and in the front room is Tabacco lane, a fine tabaccoist(sp). That is one of my favorite corners in town.

 

[Sergei]

Hey Art after reading your story about your dad, that just kicked me in the gut. My dad died from the same disease in '99. What was worse, I lived 3000 miles away. I did manage to spend the last 2 weeks of his life and regretted that I was gone for so long in between trips. Guys, this is a good lesson for all of you. Spend the time now so that you won't have regrets in the future. My wife is going through this now. It's awful. The little things are so much more important and often remembered the most.

Man, I need to find me a barbershop and switch from Supercuts.

-S

 

[Pyroxene]

Originally posted by Sergei
Spend the time now so that you won't have regrets in the future. My wife is going through this now. It's awful. The little things are so much more important and often remembered the most.

AMEN! That's exactly why I got my dad the jacket he always wanted.

When he came to visit, I insisted that we go to the gun range. We had the best time. I have a gun he gave me as a kid. He was amazed at how the gun hadn't changed in all those years. That was the first time in over 10 years he had done something like that.

I think what will suprise people most are the stories. Going to places like the barber shop will often remind people of stories, people and places they had long since forgotten.

Pyro.

 

[Art Fawcett]

I'ts been a while since I visited this thread and i am glad I came back to it. Sergei, you have my sympathies and i understand perfectly how you feel. I just decided that no matter what, I would be there for him as he was for me in the early years. I guess I'm lucky in that over the years I have worked hard enough & saved enough to be able to sacrifice the year to him and his care. I hesitate using the term "sacrifice" as I feel that i gained much more than I gave. I'm also fortunate to have a wife that knows what "the right thing" means and she held down the fort here without complaining while I did the best I could from 350 miles away. I have to admit, the 5 hr drives were killer after a while, but you only need to remind yourself once why you are doing it.
My heart goes out to you and your wife. You have obviously learned from your experience with your father how important little things are, and how much they are going to mean to your wife in the future. Since both of my parents are gone now, and I never really knew my mother ( died when I was 8) I try every day to show my wife how much she means to my life, and in the mean time I can still feel my Dad sitting next to me on the steps, not talking, just sitting. Ahhh the little things I am so blessed to be able to have spent that time.

 

[farnham54]

I was a rather fortunate kid; My father was the manager of a gold mine (literally--Northwestern Ontario has Gold all over the place) which due to some conflicts with a contractor was sued out of business. That tied my father up with legal stuff for most of my childhood; right up until my last summer living at home when he again was able to work. So I was lucky to have been able to spend so much time with my father. It's still not enough; and I'd love more. As much as I can, as though I'm young (1985) I feel as if I have a fair concept of what you gents are talking about.

As per haircuts; I used to get mine done in Red Lake (my Hometown) by a guy named Bill; He was gay but not an "in your face" kind; very, very pleasant and easy to get along with. One hell of a good hair stylist--We had no barbers in the booming Metropolis of Red Lake, so I made due.

Then I came to Guelph, and went to a place in the mall--can't think of the name of it, but they had one chair in the back of the store that stocked dozens of shampoos and conditioners--the only place in the world that has more of that crap then my Mom and sister's bathroom was this store. However, not only did they do a shoddy job of cutting my hair, but the lady also didn't say a word save for "How are you" and "what are we doing with this today". To top it off, I went 3 times, once every two weeks, and she NEVER remembered me. Not a single spark of recognition.

So, on the advice of my floormate, I went to a place called Angelo's. I walked in the door to see 4 chairs, all manned by older men, with hockey parafanalia adorning the walls, large blue jars of Barbacide on each of the stations, and newspapers and magazines at the door. One of the men was a younger guy, walked over to me as soon as I entered and extended his hand. "I'm Claudio, how are ya today" he said with a mighty frm handshake.

I knew right then that THIS was my new barber. Sure enough, we spent the entire time chatting about hockey, politics, etc. Very personable, and all around a gentlmen's atmosphere.

Good haircut too

High regards,

Farn

 

[MK]

Thanks to Matt Deckard, I now have a new place to get my hair cut. He turned me on to a barber shop in Hollywood. I drove over today and walked right in with no appointment and sat right down in one of the three chairs. There were pictures of Elvis, Monroe, Bogart, angels flight, famous boxers and of a grand looking barber shop from back in the day that used to be in a hotel in Pasadena. The place was great. The building was from the twenties. Who knows? Maybe Bogie did used to get his hair cut there. The barber gave me a decent cut and it was only ten bucks. The search is over. I am done with beauty salons.

Thanks Matt.

 

[havershaw]

People who live in Los Angeles are lucky.

That place just has such great color...

 

[Mr. Rover]

Well, I've been going to a barber shop my whole life, except for myabe a 2 year trend when my mom brought me to a salon (which was a waste of time, because I was getting the same cut). I think my barber's name was Eddie, and he looked no younger than 60. There were about 4 chairs, always a line, and a bigass fish on the wall. It smelled vintage in there, too. The combs were all in the blue stuff. That was when I parted my hair...which I did until I was bout 10. I went on a streak when I spiked my hair or had a crew cut, but I'm growing out the top again and Parting it.
The first thing I did when I got here in Taiwan was find a barber. Me and my dad find a small barber shop owned by 2 older ladies, and they'll wash your hair, give yo ua little massage, and then even finish off the neck and around the ears with a straight razor. Not bad treatment, even to a 15 yr old.

 

[Retro Grouch]

Dust off this thread for round two.

I went to beauty salons for years, not because I like foo foo doos but I just got tired of being butchered at the barbers. I tried all the local barber when I moved to Colorado but always ended up looking like a #4 bowl was put on my head. How hard is it to comprehend "short on the sides and longer on top"?

I found a couple of salons that had good cutters and stuck with them. Not as manly but an interesting perspective.

Recently, I lost the girl who cut my hair for years. She went and got married, then moved to Washington. The nerve.

Back on the street, I found a new local barber shop. Actually, the owner has been around for years but just opened this shop. Al's Barber Shop has a lot of the old world barber charm but with a new twist. I forgot how much I missed being shaved with a straight razor and hot cream. Sadly, this isn't the hangout for the older crowd but there are advantages.

Now, it they would just give me a sucker before I left...

Tom

 

[flat-top]

I've been cutting my own hair for over 10 years, and wouldn't even consider going to a barber shop or salon ever again! I've got a stylized 50's cut that appears pretty complex, but I've got it down to a science. I couldn't imagine walking into a salon and asking for THIS! I've studied countless pictures from old movies and magazines, found old barber shop "menus" and instruction booklets, and even found old school tools of the trade. Sometimes though, depending on what type of cut I'm giving myself, a haircut might literally take up to 2 hours just to get it right, and I can always find a way to "fix" any mistakes. Yes, I am a brave man! Follow it up with a splash of Bay Rum on my neck and I'm good to go. Funny thing though, I wouldn't have a clue how to cut anyone else's hair! I am my only client!
flat-top

 

[jamespowers]

I've got it down to a science---my wife cuts my hair. LOL It is cheap and it gets done right the first time. I got tired of the "barbers" and "stylists" that seemed to want my hair to look like a block of cement on my head.

Regards to all,

J

P.S. and no she is not accepting any new clients.

 

[kamikat]

I think it's great that y'all are returning to barbers. My beauty school instructor was a Marin barber during the Korean War. He came back to the states and worked in a barber shop during the week and worked as an aprentice in a ladies' salon on the weekend. He made more money in tips at the ladies' salon then all week in the barber shop. In both Virginia, where I went to beauty school, and Maryland, where I live now, barber and beautician are two different licenses. My teacher made sure that we all learned how to do both.

kamikat