Thread: Hmmm... It's a Thought

When I took my wife out for an Italian evening of munchies, our conversation drifted to barber stuff. I told her about the "expert" that showed up last nite to chide everyone over TI razors. That only took a second. We drifted off into another direction with the conversation rather quickly. Cher has always been supportive of my interests and encourages me to focus on developing an active and productive mind.

At the outset, I had mentioned that store "the Art of Shaving" and the prices they were charging. I had told her that I think there was some kind of glitch in the system that generated those outrageous prices. That really wasn't the focus of the following conversation, however.

I had told her that the "Art of Shaving" was very small to begin with and a single newspaper article was responsible for their exploding successes thereafter. That now they have stores all over the country.

She suggested that since I was now retired, I could maybe start up a community based atmosphere barber shop. A barber shop where the guys could hang. A place to come to get a "straight razor shave" with all the pampering that goes with it. Maybe two barbers...

There are a few places where you can get the shave now, I know. But I want it to be a spot where the guys stopped by to just shoot the bull and have a cigar and a real shoeshine. One with a real barber pole outside. A place that had your own personal shaving mug with your own razor up on the shelf that the wooden Indian in the corner stands guard over. A place to buy the nice soaps, shaving sets, Tony's strops, and maybe a few of my custom razors. A place with nostalgic pictures on the wall. Who knows... maybe franchised...

By the way, I know you guys have bought at least one of these gotta-haves
http://tinyurl.com/lkupa Tell me if you buy one.

Anyway... what'll y'all allow on those thoughts? Got suggestions. What would make a place like that a success? What would keep it open? What would attract a loyal customer base? How far do you think someone would travel to experience a shop like that? Think it's a waste of time?

What should I name it?

What a brilliant idea. Olde worlde style barber shop. Cigars..yes..real good coffee..great razor stuff for sale..Definitely no politically correct crap.
I would travel to the USA and make a point of visiting. Need a porch as well for 'ol timers to sit on outside.
"Billy's Clip Joint" sounds about right to.
You do need a high local population though..plenty of walk in traffic..

Need a floor sweeper ?.

Gary

If you want to start abroad....I'm in for one in the Netherlands

Locals. For me, the shop would lose it's value to me if it were a "tourist" attraction. I can say that should such a shop exist where I live (small town or large) I'd be down there a couple times a week from now until the time they carried me off to my reward (or punishment?). However, it would be all about developing or sustaining friendships and ties to the local community for me. It'd be about jawing with the boys, getting into and out of arguments, building layers of respect on top of shared stories and shared time...

I wouldn't want a stranger shaving me.

-- Gary F.

Bill Ellis's
STRAIGHT BARBERSHOP

Wait a second, that doesen't sound right...

Your biggest concern should be the demographic. Target group should be considered very carefully. How big is your local population, what are their habits, older aged folks v.s. youngsters, frendly comunity? e.t.c Maybe tourist atraction is not a bad idea. If you have small shop too, it can be great place to get some straight razor equipment and get some tips from the pro firsthanded...

as for the name, maybe not very inventive, but sounds right to me maybe:

Bill's
BARBERSHOP

as much as I would love to go to a place like that. i am afraid that within most geographic regions there would not be enough people interested to keep it afloat.

society has changed since the barber shop was the place to get news. that is why there just arent any of those shops left. 50 years ago those places were common, but society decided they would rather have a 3 minute shave at home and get thier news via internet/tv. on top of that it seems the few of us that are interested in straight shaving really want to do it ourselves.

Cathy and I had this discussion a couple years ago when we lived in Columbia, SC. We thought that being in a State Capital with all the politicians coming ang going every day would be a great location. We talked about having the opportunity to come in, get a haircut, a shave, a manicure and hang out would be killer. We went back and forth between a nice looking lady barber and a couple of seasoned gentlement. Cigars were definitely on the agenda as well as a little front for razors and shaving gear. Free coffee and affordable prices as well as an open environment to simply hang out were key. We also talked about having that old time turn of the Century decor. Not being retired yet....lmao, made it all just a great conversation. Lynn

It's a great idea. However you have to be in a neighborhood where there are plenty of middle-aged men who still think that being a guy is OK. Too bad metrosexualism is taking over the world. Give it a couple more years and straight guys will start wearing makeup. Your initiative would be a great way get the testosterone flowing through our society's veins again.

A few years ago, a friend of mine attended a living history event where a lady set up a barber shop in a tent. She was doing shaves for $2 or $3, and was kept busy all weekend.

I think many people would get a shave just for the novelty of it, but it would take a good customer base to keep the doors open. It's an unfortuante reality that men don't take the time to have the same sense of, and involvement in, their own community. Our modern society doesn't value brotherhood as much as people in earlier times did, and we are worse off because of it.

YOu just don't go down to Wal-Mart and sit around the pot bellied stove with your buddies and drink coffee and tell fishing stories, etc. I used to have a place close by that I could do that, but there's a shopping center where that used to be, and a subdivision where the lake used to be.

I think this is a great idea myself and would support a business like that 100%, but it would only work in smaller towns like Longview, WA or Helena, MT. Try this in Portland, D.C., or Atlanta and it would probably sink like a stone. The modern mentality of rushing everywhere and not taking time out for the finer things in life doesn't really jive with what you're describing. In short, this is a niche market that would only thrive in certain areas. We had a place like this in Portland about seven or eight years ago and it has since gone out of business, which is a real shame.