Thread: The art of shaving store

Well gentlemen today I took a drive to San Francisco and visited my first art of shaving store. What a disappointment, From the time I walked in I was never acknowledge with a hello or I will be with you in a minute. The only employee working at the time was helping the only other person in the store. I couldn't help but listen in disbelief the garbage she was feeding the young fella with credit card in hand. He was purchasing a straight razor and had no clue as to what this type of shaving entails nor did the employee. Although I'm new to SRS I feel I'm getting a top notch education from this board and all my fellow board members.

I don't know, I for one like when I go into a store and nobody acknowledges me with silly sales techniques. This would be a plus in my opinion. Allowing the customer to browse and if they have questions, then approach a representative.

Also, I have visited two Art of Shaving stores and yes, the employees do know nothing about straight razors. Understandable given they are not marketing to only straight razor users. In fact, they are marketing to the average Joe shaving with a cartridge razor who is looking to spice up their shave experience.

I have found that the AOS stores I have visited, the employees were actually very knowledgeable about their products, including the soap, cream and balm.

Also, I happen to really like Art of Shaving Products.

If you have read any of my old posts about AOS you'll know I am NOT a fan, having said that, I won't sit here and bash the place. I agree with you that most employees know nothing about straight razors, but the person buying one could always take it upon themselves to research before getting into it anyway. I just wish they would tell the poor people that the razors are in fact, NOT shave ready... That would save many men time and razor burn when initially getting started. Lynn should market his dvd with all SR purchases at the AOS.

Originally Posted by Fbones24

I don't know, I for one like when I go into a store and nobody acknowledges me with silly sales techniques. This would be a plus in my opinion. Allowing the customer to browse and if they have questions, then approach a representative.

Also, I have visited two Art of Shaving stores and yes, the employees do know nothing about straight razors. Understandable given they are not marketing to only straight razor users. In fact, they are marketing to the average Joe shaving with a cartridge razor who is looking to spice up their shave experience.

I have found that the AOS stores I have visited, the employees were actually very knowledgeable about their products, including the soap, cream and balm.

Also, I happen to really like Art of Shaving Products.

I have also made visits to the AOS and their big thing
is to improve the humdrum wet shave with a cartridge thing.

Their selection of brushes, soaps and creams... do a good
job to this end. The sponsors of this forum do it better.

I do like the AOS hard shave soap. It is a bit expensive
but an excellent triple milled shave soap.

Brushes are decent but the one I selected way back is
a no backbone floppy one that works best on shave creams.
I like my Thater better across the board.

I have never seen the same sales person twice and
none of the sales girls knew much about shaving whiskers
or building a lather. Some AOS products show
up in better bigger stores like Macys and Nordsrom.

Not worth a special trip but do visit if you are near one.

Watch for sales and samples.

I can't hold it against AOS that their employees are not as knowledgable about straights as we are. We are the odd ones; the razor nerds. I'd bet that no matter what you are looking at, people who spend time on a forum specifically about a given product will know more than the average person who works retailing the same product.

It does make me wonder, though, how easy it would be for someone from SRP to get a job working at AOS. My own thought is "not very." Stores seem to prefer people with sales experience over people with product knowledge.

I always thought it slightly hilarious - in LA at least - that the stores are staffed with women who might be easier on the eyes but let's be honest: they have never (hopefully) laid a razor on their face

First off, I agree with holli4pirating--although I hardly know anything as a noob, I knew more about razors from reading these forums than the sales clerk did at the AoS in the mall. That said, she did know a lot about their products such as shave creme and brushes. I wound up buying a badger brush (probably over paid) , but she also showed me how to whip up a good lather with shave creme and the brush and gave me some nice samples--the after shave balm is nice, just IMHO a bit pricey. It's just another boutique kind of store in the mall. I know they have a barber spa salon and give straight razor shaves (35 and 55 dollars) at the store I went to, but I didn't have one so I don't know what they use or how good the experience is.

Originally Posted by holli4pirating

I can't hold it against AOS that their employees are not as knowledgable about straights as we are. We are the odd ones; the razor nerds. I'd bet that no matter what you are looking at, people who spend time on a forum specifically about a given product will know more than the average person who works retailing the same product.

It does make me wonder, though, how easy it would be for someone from SRP to get a job working at AOS. My own thought is "not very." Stores seem to prefer people with sales experience over people with product knowledge.

I don't know. If you go into Sears to buy a refrigerator the salesperson probably knows squat about the appliance and if you go to your local car dealer the sales guy probably knows minimal about the vehicles. On the other hand if you are dealing with a specialty or niche item (which straights are) most places specializing in these items have people who are well versed. Think of the sales guys in a gun store or knife shop or woodworking shop. They usually know their stuff.

As far as AOS goes they are just selling these products and straights are just a minor item so I don't consider them a specialty straight store. On the other hand many of our vendors are pretty knowledgeable.

I was in the AOS store yesterday also. I treated an old freind to his first ever Str8 razor shave. The baber used a feather blade but did a great job with beard prep: Hot towels, warm oil, hot lather which was done after each pass. My freind enjoyed the shave tremendously. They even told me if I were to bring a razor, they would be happy to use it.
The sales person was pretty knowledgable about their products, but not the str8's, which she admitted. They even asked me if I thought they were shave ready.

I think someone who was very familiar with wet shaving and str8s would probably be a welcome addition to their sales staff.

Originally Posted by Mvcrash

I think someone who was very familiar with wet shaving and str8s would probably be a welcome addition to their sales staff.

I'll have to move in with you and apply for a job at the local branch. :-)