Thread: Barber Shops, a dying art...

Do to so called "hair stylist" Barber Shops are a dying art here in Pennsylvania.


Factoid: 16 of the 24 barber schools in Pennsylvania are in State Prisons.

Luckily still have found at least one barber shop in every town or city I have moved to in the last 4 years. Though the salon to barber shop ratio is out of whack.

In Farmville, Va, there was even an old time barber shop left. There were two ladies attending it but they kept true to a barber shop. They did take a shave off the board a long time ago but they would finish your neck and sideburn with a shavette and warm lather.

In Richmond, there was a young buck named Lefty keeping the tradition alive but a lot of the old timers were retiring or dead.

Finally, yesterday, got a cut from a gentleman who was proud of the art of barbering. He had a nice little shop he shared with a gentlemen. Oh, I cannot help to mention my uncle. He has been a barber for more years than I can remember.

My Barber passed away several years ago. I cut my own hair "flattop" and do my own Straight Razor Shaving. Growing up in the 60's my Mom had her own Beauty Shop in the front room of our house. Guess it's just in the blood.. LOL

i cut my own hair, easy to do just shave it down low but here in central pa we have 2 good old barbers that im aware of anymore and neither of them do regular shaves only if you beg them to see there collection.

Back in '84 or '85 a good buddy owned an old school three chair shop. In NJ at that time you could still apprentice under a barber in a shop and get licensed. I could have done it but went into a different field. A year or two later Jersey changed the law to where anyone who didn't already have a barber's license had to go to beautician's school for a set minimum of hours. I don't remember what the number was but it was a lot.

I get mine cut from an old Cuban guy whose father taught him the trade. He has been in the biz for 30 or 40 years and his shop at the same location for 15. $8.00 for seniors. It isn't a good haircut but I learned a long time ago the difference between a 'good' haircut and a bad one is about two weeks.

Originally Posted by Mephisto

Luckily still have found at least one barber shop in every town or city I have moved to in the last 4 years. Though the salon to barber shop ratio is out of whack.

This is a photo of the local barbershop on the island of Tongatapu, where I got many a haircut from Polo, the barber.

The sign over the door says "Kosiulu", which means haircut in Tongan.

Polo doesn't do shaves.