elnov2514
Who could forget the classic barber shop scene in Guys and Dolls (“The Oldest Established…”), in which a throng of half-shaven men and their barbers hop out of their chairs to join Frank Sinatra and Stubby Kaye in song. Shaving just isn’t the social occasion that it was then; today we buy blades at Costco by the dozens and perform the act with haste and hustle, omitting the care and precision that men used to value in a shave. And none of us sing while we’re doing it.
And yet, there’s one institution that has kept the tradition alive: The Art of Shaving, a throwback to the 1940s barber shop that specializes in quality shaving products and offers manscape services at 23 Barber Spa locations throughout the US. I stopped by my local The Art of Shaving Barber Spa last week to clean up a bit and rediscover the art of fine male grooming.
I arrived only minutes before my 11AM appointment and browsed the store’s products for a moment before being escorted to a room toward the back with faded canary-and-white wallpaper and wooden cabinets on both ends. A man named Steve (who fits the part to a tee, from his ash grey vest to his argyle moustache socks, pictured above) directed me to an antique barber chair on the near side of the room. Within seconds, the antique chair was reclined and the hottest hand towel imaginable was wrapped up and around my face. It’s a good thing I trusted Steve and his ‘stache socks; there’s something very personal about toweling another man’s face.
Toto, I don’t think we’re in Supercuts anymore.
My cheeks were just beginning to sweat beneath the cotton cloth when Steve clicked on (what must have been) the old-fashioned radio in the corner. Steve’s all about Elvis and Sinatra; timeless music, he says, puts people in the right frame of mind. He removed the towel and began chipping away at my stubble with a straight razor.
Though it might add a few minutes to his morning routine, Steve follows this same procedure at home (hot towel to relax the pores, straight razor to shave). At some point he threw another scalding hot towel on my face — this time with a lemon scent. Johnny Cash came on and I swear he was singing about burning lemons.
It’s no surprise that The Art of Shaving Barber Spas accommodate bachelor parties, pre-wedding celebrations and other man festivities on the weekends; I sent my own boys to the TAOS Midtown Manhattan location on the morning of our rehearsal dinner, and Boris (the Russian version of Steve; infinitely hotter towel) gave them the same royal treatment. They haven’t shaved since.
A huge portion of The Art of Shaving‘s business is their one-of-a-kind line of razors, badger brushes, shaving and skin care products. Fortunately, Store Manager Sean Covert was there to help us make sense of it all. Aside from assisting disoriented customers and providing useful information (for instance, that none of TAOS’ products contain alcohol or synthetic dyes), Sean also provides shaving consultations for men who don’t realize there is an art to a good shave.
- For the groom who’s buying for several groomsmen – the new hypoallergenic Travel Kit (prev. $150, now $75), which comes in unscented, sandalwood, lemon or lavender (Sean’s pick)
- For the groomsman who’s buying for his groom – the ProGlide Power Shave Set ($150), which comes with the leading men’s razor and the 4 Elements of the Perfect Shave
- For the guest who’s splurging on the ultimate groom gift – the Contemporary Shaving Set ($255), a badger brush and razor combo (with “nostalgic” ivory handles) on a nickel-plated drying stand
- For the bride/bridesmaid — the Perfect Shave Gift Set ($146) comes in a The Art of Shaving signature gift box
But what could make The Art of Shaving more like a man cave and more suitable for bachelor parties and morning-of get-togethers?
Booze.
No, I’m not suggesting that TAOS get a liquor license and set up an antique bar cabinet in the back room (though how sweet would that be?). But what about BYOB? Or, if that’s not an option, what about a complimentary bottle of champagne for grooms and groomsmen who spent a certain number of dollars? After all, if a groom brings in seven groomsmen for a shave, they’re bound to spend a good 2-3 hours in the parlor.
A flatscreen wouldn’t hurt either, though I imagine an old pre-war tabletop television set would be more appropriate. SportsCenter was around in the 1940s, wasn’t it?
(see all of Joanna’s photos from our excursion on her blog)
