• SumoMe

I recently came across this video about the new wave of barbershops that are rolling out across America at a pretty impressive rate. Modern men are progressively growing tired of going to the unisex salons where the focus is on making a neutral environment to suit all people. This is all well and good, but sometimes men just want a place to escape neutrality and get hit in the face with the scent of warm lather and feel the unmistakable sensation of a straight razor on the back of their neck–things we’d be hard pressed to find in a unisex salon.

This is where the modern barbershop revival comes into play. Some barber shops, as seen in the video above, boast beer, shuffleboard tables, and vintage barber chairs–all arranged specifically to make men feel at home. Sure, some women might enjoy it as well, and it’s unlikely that they’d turn women away, but these barbershops target men. In many ways, the modern unisex salon targets women, and men just attend. Here, some men decided to embrace the spirit of entrepreneurialism and target men, but would let women attend. It’s really the same business model, but approached the opposite way.

Men are appreciating a good shave and cut more and more, and it warms my heart to see these little barbershops popping up. As someone who feels most confident and happy right after a good shave or haircut, I applaud the efforts of these guys and hope to see this trend continue.

Do you attend a barbershop characterized as part of the new wave of barbershops? Tell us about it.