Thread: The art of shaving store

I have never been to an AOS store, there will most likely never be one near me but I often realize when I go into a specialty store that the person behind the counter may or may not be an expert in exactly what I am looking for. Point being, be grateful you have a local resource to go look at, touch and yes even purchase products. Many of us mail order everything and hope we get what was described or that the description writer has the same mindset we do. As far as not being greeted when you walk in. I did my time in retail and learned that not everyone wants to be talked to when they walk in. i used to give them a minute and then just say hi, if I can help you with something let me know, otherwise I will let you look around a bit. Its how I like to be treated, does not make it the rule; 65caddy, you like to be met at the door, thats OK too. But its also hard when your one in the shop and dealing with someone.

Takedeadaim, point taken I believe a simple greeting is not annoying or intrusive to anyone who is looking in a retail store. We go into stores knowing that there job is to sell us a product. The point of this thread was to let people know that this board is a great resource.

Originally Posted by 65caddy

Takedeadaim, point taken I believe a simple greeting is not annoying or intrusive to anyone who is looking in a retail store. We go into stores knowing that there job is to sell us a product. The point of this thread was to let people know that this board is a great resource.

Thank you!

I am currently employed with TAOS as a barber at the Canal Shops in the Venetian. The store carries Dovo and I believe they are all 5/8 or 6/8 half or full hollow grind. Prices vary according to handles and designs on the blades. They are all carbon steel round or spike point. When I am out front speaking with customers that are interested in straight razor shaving I find most have zero experience or knowledge. Trying to determine whether they will have the tenacity to learn to hone, strop and shave with a straight is difficult. I often refer them to a shavette like we use in the barber spa. We use 1/2 of a Gillette DE. We clean and sterilize the handles and holders after each use as well as inserting a fresh blade. At home I use cut throats and when traveling I take a Monsieur Charles. The staff up front are very knowledgeable regarding the use and benefits of the TAOS product line. I for one believe these products perform as advertised. Preparing and maintaining a straight razor for shaving is not the sales staffs forte. You may always ask a barber if available to help with the understanding that most are younger and have never delt with anything but disposable blades. I am one of the exeptions. The barbers are exeptional as are the sales consultants. Every sales consultant that is hired goes through a training program and of course there is a learning curve. Try to have understanding that you may know more about shaving than the sales consultants. I personally can hone, strop and shave but have no clue as to how to restore even a slightly damaged blade. I hope this helps clarify a few things for the laypersons out there. I believe this post to be acceptable to the context of this thread and disclosing my relationship to TAOS. Let me know if I am out of line.

the sales people are very knowledgeable about their products but nothing else. we don't have an AOS store in Houston.. but the AOS section at our nordstroms is pretty big. the ladies were nice, except for this big african one.. she was pushy and kept trying to make me buy something! she even tricked me into trying to get a nordstroms credit card! > the ladies were amazed at my age (21) and my knowledge of SRS and DES..their products are great (bit over priced) but i think those $100 Gillette razors are hilarious! i have bought one $100 shave set and will never spend that kinda money again!

Originally Posted by lvbarber

I am currently employed with TAOS as a barber at the Canal Shops in the Venetian. The store carries Dovo and I believe they are all 5/8 or 6/8 half or full hollow grind. Prices vary according to handles and designs on the blades. They are all carbon steel round or spike point. When I am out front speaking with customers that are interested in straight razor shaving I find most have zero experience or knowledge. Trying to determine whether they will have the tenacity to learn to hone, strop and shave with a straight is difficult. I often refer them to a shavette like we use in the barber spa. We use 1/2 of a Gillette DE. We clean and sterilize the handles and holders after each use as well as inserting a fresh blade. At home I use cut throats and when traveling I take a Monsieur Charles. The staff up front are very knowledgeable regarding the use and benefits of the TAOS product line. I for one believe these products perform as advertised. Preparing and maintaining a straight razor for shaving is not the sales staffs forte. You may always ask a barber if available to help with the understanding that most are younger and have never delt with anything but disposable blades. I am one of the exeptions. The barbers are exeptional as are the sales consultants. Every sales consultant that is hired goes through a training program and of course there is a learning curve. Try to have understanding that you may know more about shaving than the sales consultants. I personally can hone, strop and shave but have no clue as to how to restore even a slightly damaged blade. I hope this helps clarify a few things for the laypersons out there. I believe this post to be acceptable to the context of this thread and disclosing my relationship to TAOS. Let me know if I am out of line.

By no means, are you out of line. I had a wonderful experience with two recent trips to AOS, at two different locations. The first trip was quite rewarding, as I was able to acquire a fine brush and soap with a birthday gift card. The saleswoman there was quite friendly (attractive, of course) and was actually quite interested in wet shaving, altogether. She did disclose an experience with B&B, the first and only forum she had tried, where she told the members she was from AOS trying to learn about wet shaving in general, and they completely ebarrassed her, telling her how much they all hated AOS and they charge customers ridiculous prices and don't offer any decent services. This all, of course, was coming straight from her, so I'm not sure what 'actually' happened. Either way, it left her with a sour taste in her mouth.

Of course, I then directed her to SRP, where the members are nothing but friendly and open to all. Also, we actually have a ladies' section, which quite appealed to her.

The second store I visited during a slow part of the day and had quite a nice chat with the saleswoman over there, too. She, too, had no shaving experience outside of disposables, but had alot of sales experience through Nordstroms and such, and was quite interested in wet-shaving and introducing it to the community. Both stores, however, had alot of information about prep and skin-care, which helped me out alot.

All in all, both experiences were positive and I plan on going back!

I am a professional painter... I have several certifications from international organizations and am very well respected by the tradesmen who know me. With out trying to brag about my qualifications I am probably one of the most over educated painters you will ever come across... And I buy paint at home depot. Not all the time, but i find myself there quite frequently. Are the salesmen as qualified or knowledgeable as I am, regarding the product they are selling? Probably not.... But does that make them unqualified to sell it? It does not. When I go there I don't try to get into a urinating contest or a let's stump the salesman game... They are marketing their product to a different type of consumer than me, and I know that going in. That being said you also have to look at things outside of your own experience level sometimes. When I first went into an ZAOS store I knew nothing except I wanted to try a new experience. At that time I would classify the salesman as very knowledgeable... Now through the eyes of someone more educated, by having trolled these forums for just a short while, I am much more knowledgeable and I look at the salesmen through different eyes. While the average AOS salesmen probably don't have the experience or knowledge that many members here do.... You must remember this is a site created for enthusiasts or hobbyists , and I would venture to say that the average AOS salesman looks at his job as just a job and not necessarily a labor of love. Looking at my own experience I am grateful to the AOS salesman who sold me my first "shave ready" razor, because he introduced me to a new world that I knew nothing about. Now I probably have more knowledge about this new hobby of mine than he does regarding the products that they sell, But that does not make me any better or sully that first experience at all. When I go to AOS, just as when I go to home depot, it it not to get into a "razor" measuring contest, it is to look around, to shop or to experience. Maybe I'm still a noob but I love the store and whenever I make my way to South FL I usually stop in. It also give me an excuse to hit Teavana and indulge in another expensive but relaxing hobby of mine.

AOS got me interested in wet shaving. Me and my wife went into the one near me when they first opened and got the whole 30 minute spew on how their stuff will make my shaves much better. We bought the travel kit for $50 since the lady spent so much time with us, that night i shaved with it and my fusion and was hooked. I started looking online for de razors figuring if it was so nice to shave with fusion with this it must be even better with de. I stumbled on this site and a few weeks later i was using a straight and have never looked back. Gor christmas i got my dad the same set sandalwood next thing i knew he was tlking about getting a straight. My point is they might not know about shaving but they do have the ability to get people into wet shaving very easily.

They have an AOS by me ,you cant expect expertise on straights in this store. they have a selection of maybe three brands when I went there
and the girls job was to sell $2oo cartridge holders.There creams and stuff is there brand only and at least there's one store trying! Anyone who just out of the blue buys a str8 is going to cut them selves anyway.I'm so surprised at how many people have to learn that you can shave with water is astonishing. I grew up using a DE and my father used to get all these samples from Gillette and Schick (remember free samples?)
but through all of it remained the DE as others came and went,remember the one that wound a band of steel? any sorry about the rant-the point was that if they had 15 different kinds of straits th try from and someone to teach them-it ain't coming back strong enough to take back the market,so I applaud them for even trying. If the laws changed to just sterilizing you could have a selection,and see what you were getting into.
JMHO
Griz