SportClips Hair Salon, Just For MEN!

[PottyDoctor]

Just having mentioned SportClips in the "Cooling Shampoos" thread, I thought I would describe my recent visit in a little more detail, since a B&B search returned no results on one of the newest trends in men's hair cutting and styling.

http://www.sportclips.com/ is their website if you want to check out all the details and see if there is one near you.

I'll go ahead and answer your first question. They DO NOT offer shaves! Disappointing for all of us I know, but let me assure you that this place is not your "run-of-the-mill" barbershop or hair salon. First, the entire "experience" is designed around male hair cutting / styling. They are a "chemical free" operation, which means, no coloring, no perms, etc. The entire store has a sports theme, which obviously targets the majority of the male market. The stylist's stations are lockers. There are penants, flags, banners, etc everywhere. ESPN and ESPN 2 are playing on big flat screen TV's.

The stylist introduces herself (all female stylists at this particular salon) and takes you to the barber chair. The first thing I noticed that I had never seen happen before at a barber shop/salon was when the stylist got out a "Clean Pack." A "Clean Pack" contains freshly sanitized combs, brushes, clipper guards, etc. wrapped in a fresh, clean white towel. She explained that the "tools" are never reused on other customers until they are thoroughly cleaned, sanitized and repackaged. She then proceeds to cut and/or style your hair.

After the haircut, she takes you to the Shampoo sink area and gives you a scalp massage with Paul Mitchell Special Tea Tree Shampoo. The massage along with the cooling/tingling effect is awesome. Once the shampoo is complete, she brings a hot towel, lays it over your face and allows you to "soak" for 2 to 3 minutes. Once this is complete, you return to the barber chair, where she gives you a shoulder massage with a small handheld electronic massager. That my friends is "The Works" at SportClips!

Normal price is $20...what a deal! But wait, it's only $15 for first time patrons! Then they give you a book of coupons for discounts on return visits. I must warn you they have several shelves of Paul Mitchell grooming products and other goodies for sell as you leave! If you've never been to SportClips, look up their website and see if there is one in your area and get a little pampering! I'm sure I'll be returning soon!

[inkling]

Thanks for the tip -- there's one about two miles from my new office, so I'll have to check it out. I used to work near exceptional place called V's Barbershop for Men. Currently they are only in the Phoenix area, but I believe they're beginning to franchise. One of these days I'm going to get The Works, which is $45 for a shampoo, haircut, shave and shoeshine. It isn't Trumper's but it sounds pretty sweet.

[mrob]

I had the Works at V's while in Phoenix for a conference--I posted a review of the experience here.

Summary: It was a very nice, relaxing way to pamper myself, but if you're expecting a great shave you may be disappointed. The shave I got at V's was not real close, and left me with a fair amount of irritation, esp. on my neck. I don't know that I'd do it again, but it was certainly worth the experience, and I'd recommend you treat yourself if you've not been there. Its a class place, and I was treated extremely well.

[inkling]

Thanks for that info, mrob (and Go Spartans!). I went to V's monthly for my haircut for about two years and I never saw one person getting a shave. I guess that would make the barbers pretty low on practice.

The location I visited (North Scottsdale in Kierland Center) was staffed entirely by Russians and other immigrants from the former USSR (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, etc.), so I'm not surprised by the provenance of their razor. One of the things I loved about the place was listening to their bickering in Russian -- usually over their chess games. The haircuts were perfect every time and beyond fast (10 minutes was the longest it ever took).

[mrob]

I think that's the one I went to as well--in a strip mall next to a brewpub as I remember?

All the guys but my barber were Russian--they seemed to be very good at what they did and I had a very relaxing afternoon.

[MJB]

My impression of hair saloon for men so far.

At the same time, they are clean enough. They take appointments and run on time. Lastly, my present haircut is a number 2 clipper cut taper the sides and back--anybody, I mean ANYBODY within 2 days into styling school can do this one. Also they are willing to shampoo my hair afgerwards so no itsy bitsy pieces all day long and no need to rush home to shower. Also for me they are cheaper than a fancy stylist.

My negative: They think they are this haven of manliness but it comes out a bit shallow shallow. The stylists I have encountered have been green. Might be a bit iffy in terms of cut quality with a more challenging haircut especially if you have hair with cowlicks--20 minutes is not enough time to do that type of head and style correctly.

So in summary, since I have a buzz cut, they are cheap, give me a bottle of water, close by, clean, timely, and wash the lit hair bits out after the cut, I am a return customer to the hair saloon.

MJB

[PottyDoctor]

My impression of hair saloon for men so far.

At the same time, they are clean enough. They take appointments and run on time. Lastly, my present haircut is a number 2 clipper cut taper the sides and back--anybody, I mean ANYBODY within 2 days into styling school can do this one. Also they are willing to shampoo my hair afgerwards so no itsy bitsy pieces all day long and no need to rush home to shower. Also for me they are cheaper than a fancy stylist.

My negative: They think they are this haven of manliness but it comes out a bit shallow shallow. The stylists I have encountered have been green. Might be a bit iffy in terms of cut quality with a more challenging haircut especially if you have hair with cowlicks--20 minutes is not enough time to do that type of head and style correctly.

So in summary, since I have a buzz cut, they are cheap, give me a bottle of water, close by, clean, timely, and wash the lit hair bits out after the cut, I am a return customer to the hair saloon.

MJB

It really is just a styling salon with a twist. And like you, I get a super simple cut anyway, a number 3 all over, blocked in the back. It is hard to mess up a cut like that! I have only been one time thus far and cannot really comment on the experience of the stylists; my haircut was done by the manager. A lady there with her 8 year old son was totally impressed with the cut he received; just kept going on about how good it was. It's definitely not a "spa" experience, just kind of a barber shop with a sports theme, that will actually wash your hair. However, I enjoyed it and will return in the future.

I still enjoy a trip to one of the two traditional barber shops I have used over the years. If nothing more than to catch up on the "news" and talk to the barbers I've known for years. That's going to be one thing missing from the "salon" experience in my opinion. It seems none of these people ever stay around long enough to get to know them and then if you do find one who cuts your hair in a way you are really happy about, they soon leave.

But overall, I rate it as a good experience, a good haircut, a very clean salon and I really like the shampoo after the cut. It's probably not for everyone all the time, but it's a nice change up in the overall scheme of things.

[MJB]

So there I am at Hair Saloon for Men today. Appt at 1PM. They tell me the stylist is about 10 minutes behind, they apologize and allow me to walk next door for a bite to eat. I return and check back in and 1:0& and they put the 1:20 appointment in at 1:30 I inquire to learn that I had been bumped. I receive and apology and they beg me to stay, still I leave in a polite huff and walk two doors down to Fantastic Sams which is like a cheap Great Clips and for 12 dollars I get my crew cut--great thing about it no one can do it wrong!

MJB

[msandoval858]

I've been going to Sports Clips for a few years now. Prices are fair and I usually always request the same stylist unless she's off when I happen to drop by. The place is pretty popular so it's not uncommon for me to have to wait 30 min, but I'm a patient person thankfully. My only gripe is they don't do appointments. It's right around the corner from the office, cheap, and I get a 10% discount for being a Dell employee. Can't argue with that

[moses]

Yeah.... this whole thing just doesn't sound quite right to me.... "Stylist"? Dear lord.

I like my BARBER, with a little shop that isn't too perfectly new shiny and polished, doesn't take appointments, and has plenty of old car mags to read while waiting for a max of 15 minutes. Great haircut for $12. In Manhattan.

[inkling]

Yeah.... this whole thing just doesn't sound quite right to me.... "Stylist"? Dear lord.

I like my BARBER, with a little shop that isn't too perfectly new shiny and polished, doesn't take appointments, and has plenty of old car mags to read while waiting for a max of 15 minutes. Great haircut for $12. In Manhattan.

That's a great deal for Manhattan! Unfortunately, a lot of areas you just can't find a good old-fashioned barber anymore. I used to work in North Scottsdale (wealthy suburb of Phoenix) and I tried a different place every month. I searched in the yellow pages and on the net, and seriously, the ONLY option was a salon of some type. And instead of just cutting my hair (short on top, #3 clipper blade on sides, tapered in back) they always wanted to do highlights and perms and dyes and waxing and who knows what else.

Frustrated, I began looking for places near my house that were open in the early evening and they were cheap but utterly incompetent. My haircut is about the same as the $4 cut I got in the Navy -- about as simple as it gets. Eventually, a place called V's (mentioned above) opened near my office and I got a great haircut for a too-high $21.

Now I work in a different area and have found a fantastic barber for $15 a shot, including a healthy dose of complaints about the government and various sports teams. A little pricier that yours, but they are good, fast and no-nonsense. It's strange how hard it is to find a basic barber these days.

[moses]

It's strange how hard it is to find a basic barber these days.

I know. It's basically a crime. The strange thing is, the demand is there.... I actually went to my current barber the first time as a sympathy cut. I think he had just opened, but anyway, I walked past his shop every day to and from work, and there was never anyone there, just him watching tv. I hate to see a small business struggling, and I needed a haircut, so I went (not that one cut was going to make any difference, but). Anyway, a few months later, he is ALWAYS busy. Started to cut his hours back, though, he is getting so much business....