Enjoy the classic experience of a modern barbershop

Modern barbershops have certainly changed a lot, but the classy and personalized service they offer has lost nothing of its old world charm.

You might have thought the neighbourhood barber was a modern-day dinosaur, but in fact the traditional barbershop is more than just alive and kicking.

• These days, the red, white and blue pole signifies a revival of old-world class and the culture of the gentleman.
• A smart cut, a newspaper and the possibility of a good, old-fashioned shave all give a new allure to your grandpa’s old barbershop.

For many years, barbers were also surgeons.

• During the Middle Ages, these were the fellows who bled the sick, carried out minor surgical procedures and pulled teeth.
• An even trim was merely a bonus alongside their skillful handling of scissors, blades and lancets. As well as cutting hair, shaving beards and making incisions, barbers were also wigmakers.
• Back when wigs were de rigeur, barbers created and maintained their clients’ artificial do’s with powder and perfumes.

Barber-surgeons are behind the origins of the famous red, white and blue barbershop pole, which can still be found outside nearly every barbershop to this day.

• The blue represents the stick that the patient held tightly during a bloodletting procedure to show the barber-surgeon where the veins were located.
• The red symbolizes the blood, while the white symbolizes the bandages.

Over time the tri-coloured sign became a universal symbol that indicated to any and all where those grisly services could be had.

Of course, this profession has evolved over time, but barbers, who still deal mainly with male clients, hold on to tradition.

• Old photos and films remind us of the key role barbershops played in the life of the community, where all manner of gentlemen stopped by to catch up on gossip and keep their finger on the pulse of the neighbourhood.
• The scene of the client in the barbershop chair with his face covered in white foam, and the barber with razor and strop in hand, are all part of our collective memory.

Even though there are fewer of them these days, traditional barbershops are still a part of our lives.

• Many men—both barbers and clients—are breathing new life into this noble business, recreating the unique atmosphere of this rich institution.

Would you like to have an old fashioned shave, a smartly trimmed beard or a classic gentleman’s haircut?

• Make an appointment with your barber—all you have to do is look out for a red, white and blue barber’s pole in your neighbourhood.
• As well as being a pro at men’s haircuts, a barber is often a good listener, someone you can confide in.

After all, what’s said in the barbershop stays in the barbershop.