The Metropolitan Barber Shop

[AnimalCatcher]

Wouldn't it be great to go back in time and pay a visit to an old-time barber shop; especially one of the big ones like the Metropolitan in Los Angeles, where you could get a haircut, a shave, and even luxuriate in a Turkish bath.

Here's a trade card from the Metropolitan and a small pocket mirror that was given to repeat customers, both dating to around 1910. Just look at all those chairs!

 

[Dave himself]

That looks amazing.

 

[AnimalCatcher]

That looks amazing.

It really does. I wonder if there are any modern shops anywhere in the world that compare.

 

[JackPoet]

every man, once in his lifetime, should get a Barber shop shave.

 

[Brutus]

every man, once in his lifetime, should get a Barber shop shave.

Only once???


I like getting the occasional shave in our old-fashioned neighborhood barbershop for the equivalent of around $9.

One gent in an advanced age and another gent in his late 40s (my guess) plying their trade.
Nothing fanciful, just like it used to be in days long gone by…
Feels nice once in a while.

Image courtesy evasoes.pt.


One of the advantages of retiring to Portugal .



B.

 

[BigJ]

Wish I still had the option of an old school barbershop around here!!

 

[dmshaver]

The Metropolitan, imagine the smells just walking into the shop! Thank you for posting! Looks like it was an icon from a bygone era.

 

[5whiskey]

Ehh generally barber shops aren't what they once were, I don't think. At least local to my area. I've cut my own hair for more than 15 years now. Every time I tried to find a barber that I like, they either didn't know how to fade worth a darn (I still keep my medium reg from the Marine Corps from years ago) or they took 40 minutes to give me a mediocre (at best) fade that should only be a 10 minute haircut. I don't know of any who specialize in giving a good shave. I guess I could try and find one. I'm not far from Lejeune, and I know there are good barbers there, but not close enough to drive.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not hating on barber shops. I would happily pay $25.00 plus a tip for a fade and shave once a month. Especially at a place like the Metropolitan. I imagine smoking a pipe while getting a good fade and shave would be quite relaxing. But if I'm spending that kinda money it has to be a lot better than what I can do at home, and I've yet to find that around here. And I don't think the pipe would be allowed anywhere anyway.

 

[poppi]

I've tried several barber shops that provide "wet" shaves. They all sucked. Not gonna do it again

 

[House Boy]

Thanks for the memories. Not trying to go deep in the rabbit hole but I've been on kick to purchase a few aftershave splashes that remind me of the old days at the barber shop.

 

[Cannon Cocker]

Ehh generally barber shops aren't what they once were, I don't think. At least local to my area. I've cut my own hair for more than 15 years now. Every time I tried to find a barber that I like, they either didn't know how to fade worth a darn (I still keep my medium reg from the Marine Corps from years ago) or they took 40 minutes to give me a mediocre (at best) fade that should only be a 10 minute haircut. I don't know of any who specialize in giving a good shave. I guess I could try and find one. I'm not far from Lejeune, and I know there are good barbers there, but not close enough to drive.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not hating on barber shops. I would happily pay $25.00 plus a tip for a fade and shave once a month. Especially at a place like the Metropolitan. I imagine smoking a pipe while getting a good fade and shave would be quite relaxing. But if I'm spending that kinda money it has to be a lot better than what I can do at home, and I've yet to find that around here. And I don't think the pipe would be allowed anywhere anyway.

No sure about the fade, but I do remember my first high & tight at USMC San Diego. About 90 seconds of anything but relaxing with weepers included at no extra charge.

Semper Fi my brother.

 

[Cannon Cocker]

No sure about the fade, but I do remember my first high & tight at USMC San Diego. About 90 seconds of anything but relaxing with weepers included at no extra charge.

Semper Fi my brother.

Meant to say MCRD San Diego. Getting old I guess.

 

[5whiskey]

No sure about the fade, but I do remember my first high & tight at USMC San Diego. About 90 seconds of anything but relaxing with weepers included at no extra charge.

Semper Fi my brother.

Oh yes I remember that first time they let us keep a puss patch on top (like training week 9 I think). 4 barbers could do a whole platoons worth of haircuts in under an hour, yet they docked us like $5 pay for those cuts!

I was an East Coast Marine, we didn't do Hollywood lol (but we're flatlanders too).