Thread: Straight razors obsolete, says barber shop franchiser

Hi folks,

I was reading today's Wall Street Journal at lunch and on page B4, I noticed the article It's Back to the Barbershop - in a Franchise about a guy named Joe Grondin who's trying to bring back the old fashioned neighborhood barber shop, but as a franchise.

This franchise is called Rooster's and so far he has 14 of them open, with 8 under construction and 20 more under contract to be built across the country. The article goes on to talk about how Grondin is trying to revive the old fashioned barbershop where men can go and talk about news, politics, sports, etc while still getting a top notch shave and haircut with a little pampering, yada yada...

Grondin has strict requirements on how the shops must look, along with manuals that direct how the shaves or haircuts are to be done, how long they last, etc. Then near the end of the article, he starts talking about shaving. He states that they use DE razors for shaves. I was really hoping to read that they were using straights (or at least Shavettes), but I was disappointed, although a DE isn't too bad given that some barbershops use Mach 3s or worse. But then the next sentence really got me... Grondin says, and I quote, the straight edge razor barbers traditionally have used to shave their customers is obsolete! Well, that certainly made my day. We all know there is a big resurgence in straight razor shaving and we're proof. Needless to say it kinda bothered me that this guy is so concerned about getting every minute detail of the old fashioned barber shop just right, down to the wood floors, type of barber chair, etc and yet he totally leaves out something as critical as the straight razor. He totally lost some credibility with me.

Perhaps I can find an e-mail address for this guy and we can educate him on why straight razor shaving isn't obsolete. If anyone wants to read the article that doesn't have access to the WSJ, just PM me with your e-mail address and I can send it to you.

Ed

Here you go.

Give him some education. I did. I invited him here for discussion.

http://www.roosterscharlotte.com/hom...cessor-ask.php

Thanks,

Lynn

Wow Lynn. You're quick. That's great that you invited him here.

Here's a link to their main corporate website:

http://www.roostersmgc.com/contact.html

Originally Posted by adjustme69

Give him some education...

I did... in a nice way

It will be interesting to see if Mr. Grondin responds
and drop by the forum. I hope that he does, perhaps
he can be converted.


Terry

Originally Posted by wvbias

...perhaps he can be converted.

Well, I wouldn't bet on it... I sent him an email earlier today which included the following...

In a commercial setting there undoubtedly are challenges in using the same blade to shave multiple customers -- some state health departments undoubtedly outlaw it due the threat of aids, etc. So, use a replaceable blade str8 such as the shavette, or feather. Or, let the customer have a razor that he owns (perhaps you sell it to him?) and keep it at the barber shop (like they used to do in some shops in olden days)... that way he's the only one ever shaved with it.

The following was his reply...

Joe,
Not to argue with you but playing with them and making a living with them is two different things. When you take into consideration the sanitation problem with blood born diseases you would not put any to your face but your own.
Why do you think it's so hard to find a barber that will give you a shave with one?

We want to use only what is in the best interest of our clients. Nostalgia is not as important.

Sincerely,
Joe Grondin
Roosters MGC Inc.

Mr. Grondin is simply making a business decision. Nothing more. And it's based on what knowledge he has of the market. Elsewhere, there is a thread started by Bill (urleebird) about opening up a barber shop. Where would it be successuful? Big town? Small town? I think these two threads tie together. Hear me out. I believe that something like that would have to be in a small town. The local barber shop where gents gather together to discuss local news and sports. I believe that if you put a shop in a town with more than one high school, then failure will occur. The gents that gathered in the shops of old had common ties. They drank coffee, smoked cigars, and talked about Friday night's football game, or basketball game. They knew each other. In today's world, it's not realistic. For example, I have been in my apartment for 5 years. And I don't know any of my neighbors. It's not because I am not friendly. It's because in a big city, people keep to themselves. It's not right, it's just the way it is. And I hate to say that, because I miss the old barbershops.

RT

My mind goes back to the barber shop where I got
my hair cut until I was about 9 years old. It was
owned and ran by a man named Redd Bias. The
general topics of conversation were hunting, fishing
shooting, guns and coal mining ( this is a coal mining
area). The place wasn't fancy. The seating was 3 old
church pews that sat along the walls. Sitting on these
pews were old issues of Outdoor Life and Field and Stream.
Mr. Bias definately used a real straight razor to shave
necks and sideburns, I remember seeing him strop the
razors on the strop that hung from the right hand arm
of his barber chair. And rule number on was DO NOT
TOUCH the strop. I can't honestly say whether or
not if I ever actually saw him give a shave. But I'm
sure he did.

I also remember a box that sat next to the from door.
Inside that box was a steel trap, and between it closed
jaws was a bone. Above this box was a sign that read
" This was the last man that tried to get out of here
without paying "

Mr. Bias hung up the strop in 1974 when he retired.
A really good barber shop definately needs to be in a
rural area/small town where te patrons know each other.
I can't imagine this taking place in a large city or an
affluent area.

Oh well, enough of me babbling about childhood memories.


Terry

Hi Guys,

I can understand your desire to "educate" and spread the word about straight razor shaving, but the bigger issue today as a business owner is finding skilled emplyee's, especially in a franchise setting. You have all heard the horror stories about haircuts from those mall franchise shops, well there is a reason for this. Nobody trains them and unless each individual is self motivated to advance their skills and specialize the level of service reflects the corporate culture, "Get em in and out fast".

I have been a barber for 20+ years and even when I started in the 80's shaving was a dying art because of the emerging trend in hair styling. Time versus dollers meant you could make more money doing a style rather than a shave. So all the new barber/stylists learned the new skills that made them the most money and the skills of shaving have not been passed along, and today many states forbid the use of straight razors at all.

Gotta go,
Jolene