CosmoProf got all my money!!

So this past weekend me, the wife and kids hit one of the Fresno,CA. CosmoProfs. I went in mainly to look at the wife's Christmas present. What do you buy your wife who does hair...the Paul Mitchell / Tarina Tarantino collaboration blow dryer. A new blow dryer is always good if your old one is starting to spark when you plug it in!

So while I am wandering around the store I look at the Paul Mitchell travel pack that has all the products from "Mitch" men's line but no matter how cool the packaging is I did not have the 65 bucks it was going to cost me so instead I decided to grab a single can of the "Barber's Classic" pomade (moderate hold /high shine). So I will review the individual products as I am able to not only hit the store but decided to buy more of the products.

I am not sure how to approach this one because I do not want to get tons of hate mail for smashing on Paul Mitchell products, by the way I like Paul Mitchell products. Got to  work today and grabbed the can and like any new can of pomade I take a whiff to see the what it smells like. This pomade has a cool lavender smell to it which I really did like. Stuck my fingers in and I did not find it overly greasy  and went in easily. Even though it is a moderate hold pomade I was a bit disappointed that within a couple of hour at work I had to reach into my drawer and pull out my can of Murray's Light to kind of add a little more to my hair.

Please do not get me wrong, I am not hating on this pomade I just know that if you are looking for something with a heavy hold this will not be it but do not be afraid to try and mix it with some other products to make it work better for you.

I Think It Is Time For A Contest

You heard me right a contest!!! So here is what is going on, I am currently at 3446 views here on the blog and what I am going to do is as soon at I hit 4000 pages view I am going to be giving some stuff away.

I am going to pick 3 random people from the Frankie The Barber facebook page and they will receive a pomade gift pack. Possible from some of the companies we have recently reviewed. So lets get some traffic and comments coming to the blog!!

Also do not forget that I am still trying to hit 100 likes on Frankie The Barber fan page!!

Try to seperate yourself from the rest!

   Ok so as I have posted I am working in a brand new barbershop which really is what is leading me to write tonight. This is not about me but this is about all of us barbers out there who are working hard to build a reputations for ourselves as professionals and not just "haircutters"

    So I went to the yellowpages.com website and looked up barbershops in 3 random cities and this is what i found on the first two pages of the site:

1.       Long beach,CA 53 barbershops
2.       Sacramneto,CA 55 barbershops
3.       Dallas,TX          53 barbershops

Ok so this was not the most scientific research known to man but when you look through the phone book and see what I saw when I used the yellow pages website it is an idea of what the average customer sees when they open a the book looking for a barber. The truth is most people find there barber in two ways either word of mouth or they have seen the same barber for years.

    In Long Beach there are several barbershops that I personally know of because of the reputation they have developed for themselves. So here is my question to you, what seperates you from the rest of the shops and barbers in your community?

    The truth is I think this question is a little more difficult then you would think it would be. There are so many things you have to look at when answering this question.

1. The Shop- How does your shop reflect you? Is your shop clean or do you and your barbers stand in piles of hair between haircuts? This is important becuase I know for myself I hate going into a shop that is dirty and looks like no one ever cleans up.
2. The Service- Do you do a quick haircut and get them out the door or are you working hard to give your customers a good service and  a reason to come back. Please remember the haircut needs to reflect the service.
3. The Specialty- I heard a story about an old barber that when the 60's hit and everyone started growing there hair long he had to figure something out to keep his shop going. It was at this point he became know for his "Mac Curtis" aka flat top with fenders. Find something and get good at it. let your name be synonymous with that haircut. It is part of branding yourself.
4. Marketing- What are you doing to get your name out there.....Take advantage of your neighborhood. Cross marketing with other local business can do wonders just make sure you are working with the right business. Are you using Facebook, Foursquare, Twitter...etc. Social Networking/social media is one of the most important tools around.

      Listen I am not a business mogul but these are just a few observations I have made in just my own experiences and seeing other barbers and barbershops. Give me your opinion and let us know what you are doing to separate yourself from the rest of the pack!!

Metro v. The Dude Who Gives A Crap

    This is going to end poorly, I can already feel it!!

    I remember the first time I hear the word "metrosexual" it left me a bit confused cause when you hear the definition you are basically describing a gay male. It was probably 1994 maybe 1995 when I first heard the term and all of a sudden salons were opening up that were catering not to men as a whole but this special kind of guy who wanted his butts waxed and eyebrows tweezed along with a haircut. What sucked was there were actually some good places that after the "metro" trend passed to the side of the road some places were forced to close there doors.

    Now here we are in 2011 and we are seeing a growth of barbershops opening up because guys are wanting something that is there. To put it in the words of Don Hawley "A place for a guy to be a guy". Shops are opening up and offering services like a shave and a haircut some are offering things like manicure while they sit and watch football. Do not forget the chance to get your shoes shined.

    The shop I work at we had a couple of guys swing by to check out the shop and was stoked by the fact we sold a certain product and that by appointment they could get a manicure while we had sports on. One of the guys worked at the local hospital and the other I think may have been a medical rep. Both dressed sharped and took care of themselves.

    So back to the question...is there a difference between metro and the guys who just take care of themselves and the answer is...YES!!! Guys just need a place of there own to be a guy, get a haircut and maybe have a beer. Metro is a trend that hopefully is done because the term creeps it's ugly head everynow and again when I am talking about mens products to people and it annoys me!

   Support Your Local Barber

The last couple of weeks since the shop opened

   So GoldStar Barbershop is now open and we are in week three and it has been pretty cool. Frank and Liz Zaragoza are awesome and there vision for the shop is a good thing. We had our first write up in the newspaper this week. We were covered in the Fresno Bee in the new business section of the paper. You can click on the above link to read the article. Business is still a bit slow but we are already seeing things pick up because of the article. December 8th is going to be the grand opening and ribbon cutting for the shop. If you are interested in coming out feel free to get a hold of me so I can get you an invitation.

This week Ivan Zoot from Andis posted in his blog about the best flat tops in Hollywood. It was a cool post and got me to thinking Who has the best flat tops? I went straight to Tom Sizemore from when he was in Black Hawk Down. Simon Cowell also has a fairly sharp looking flat top hybrid and you can not forget Play from Kid n Play with his pimp hi top flat top!!

    Speaking of Ivan Zoot. This week at work I was helping one of our employees at the shop and she was doing a haircut on a customer with dark and I see she has a white Andis clipper comb and I find myself explaingin to her "Dark comb, light hair, light comb dark hair. You can not cut what you can not see"/ "I was like what just came out of my mouth!!" I sounded like I knew what I was talking about...Thanks Ivan!

    So now I need feedback. I need to find a new razor for work. I have been using the same Mr. Charles razor since 2007 but it is time to find something new. Give me you feedback and what you guys are using.

   Well as we go into the Thanksgiving week please keep in mind what is important...It is not money or the job but our families and our friends. Have a great Thanksgiving everyone!!

  

Grant's Golden Brand Pomade

   So every gearhead and greaser is always looking for the perfect pomade and the more I mess with pomades the more I realize there is no such thing as the perfect pomade,it is all based on the person using the pomade.

    So here is the number one question...Is water based pomade a pomade or a gel? I consider it a pomade. Just like there are lite, medium and heavy weight greases there are different water based pomades.

    The most recent one I have found comes from Washington and is called Grant's Golden Brand Pomade. Grant's Pomade has a somewhat clear color with a light scent. So the scent is not over powering. So far the I have not had to use a ton of it in the cuts I have done. This is a good thing depending on how much you need to use.

    For myself I had to use a little more because I had not had a haircut in a few weeks. I used it on someone who is growing there hair back right now and it seem to hold it down pretty well. Today I used it on a young man who had thick,course hair and was wanting to start cutting and styling his hair in a 50's traditional style (thanks MadMen). It seemed to be holding well.

   So what separates Grant's from Layrite, Suavacito or Lucky 13's "Juniors" pomade. It is definitely heavier then the "Juniors" pomade but I am not going to compare it to the others because in the end it is going to be the preference of the of the person using the pomade. I know people who use Layrite and will not use anything else.

   Oh yeah and Grant's also has a limited edition "Putty Pomade" that is water based as well. This may be worth checking out as well.

    I like there pomade and really think that if you prefer water based pomades you should try it out...plus they are a small company. Thanks to Oak Barbershop in Portland,Oregon for turning me on to this pomade.

Trends.....How far do they reach

So last night I read an article on the Times online that feature F.S.C. Barber and the topic was how we are seeing haircut styles from the 1930's era showing. This kind of article about mens trends have been popping up a little more often then normal with the help of companies tapping into the rockabilly scene, shows like MadMen, movies like J.Edgar...etc.

Movies and tv have always made an impact on what trends are blowing up but as a working barber here is my question; How far to trends reach? Do trends in mens style reach to all four corners of the country?

I know that in the area I live and work it sometimes seems like men do not care or  maybe worry (would be a better word) about what the current trends are in mens style or grooming and do not get me wrong this is not a bad.thing. Are cool trends only for the west village hipster, rich young trendsetters, European d.j.'s.....no way!

As a barber I would love to see more clients coming into the shop asking for cuts similar to what we saw during the 30's, 40's and into the 1950's. I think these very traditional mens haircuts, I think they are a great reflection of our craft as barbers.

Trends are a funny thing and in closing I think it is important for barbers to pay as much attention to men's trends as much as the general public does. I also think that men should be open to new things whether it is a new cut to even a new suit.

This is one of those things that made sense in my head as I wrote it so I hope it made sense as you read it. Click here to read the whole article on the Times website or go out and get today's times and read the article.

Hardcore and the Barbershop pt.1

So I am going to start tracking down barbershop/salons that are owned by dudes that came out of the hardcore scene. We already know of plenty tattoo parlors tied to hardcore, Now it is our turn as barbers to represent the our roots!!

    So recently I got a message from a very good friend of mine up in Portland,Oregon and the only reason he was getting  ahold of me this time around was to tell me about OAK BARBERSHOP there in Portland and to tell me who owns it. The shop is owned by Augustus Bowman who was in the band DESPERATE MEASURES (Youngblood Records). He played in DM for about a year and moved to Portland about 4 1/2 ago after working in a tattoo parlor in Maryland.

In 2008 Augustus decided to go to barber college and the only thing he had to say to me was " my only regret was not going sooner. I love what I do, I love my clients, and I love the life I'm slowly carving out for myself. It was a lot of work to get to the point where I was ready to open OAK, and it was a lot of work to physically build the shop, but it's finished and now every day I feel lucky that I get to go somewhere I built and do something I love"

I asked Augusts about the barber culture there in Portland,Oregon he said that it is kind of wierd since alot of the older guy are not the most "talkative" (this is something I have noticed since even I became a barber).  I'm pretty friendly with a few other barbers in town, but I think that comes down to the fact that I don't consider other barbers who work in actual barbershops competition. Not in an ego sense, but in a "there's half a million plus people in Portland" kinda way. Anyone who does good haircuts and respects barbering isn't my competition, cause they want the same thing out of their craft that I do, and the more good barbers, the more the public understands what we do is a practiced craft, and the 8 dollar chop shops and the great clips are the who all of our competition is, as it reduces what we do to a walmart mentality

If you are in the Portland area get in to see Augustus Bowman over at his shop OAK Barbershop, follow them on twitter @OAKBarbershop or look them up on Facebook.

Unused Rev labels that are going to be framed and hung in OAK BARBERSHOP

50 Years means little in Oregon

So this evening courtesy of  "A Barbers Life" blog I found this video that raises the question of our licenses as professionals and what it means to state governments.

So here is the question; "If you are an older gentlemen (this man is 82 and has been working for 50 years) and maybe had forgotten to pay your licensing fees. What should be done....Just have you pay your fees and be done with it, make you retake your practical  for your state just to make sure you are still on point or try to force you to go back to school?"

So I decided to do some research about this story and it is actually a bit disappointing. If this was a mix up on the side of the Oregon Board of Cosmetology and Barbering and the fact that they were not willing to allow this gentleman to pay the back fees and get back to work then that this is not a good thing.

This is a weird position to be in. It is not a black and white issue sometimes, but just judging this story at face value I believe that the State Board should of allowed this man to renew his license and pay all the back fee. More importantly I hope this is not an issue because of his age...remember the man in this story is 82 so did the state board think he was too old to continue working as a barber....I do not know.


To read this story for your self here are the links....lets get some feedback on this story:

82 year old Oregonian man closes barbershop.
Oregon Board of Cosmetology Decides Barbers Fate

Men's Grooming.....This Is Ridiculous!!

As a barber I am happy to know that men are searching out barbershops and looking for an experience that they are not going to find at a "salon'. I really appreciate the fact that companies like TIGI, aul Mitchell and REDKEN have all realized that men have become an untapped resource (products and color lines).

The question is.....Where is the line and who thought that this was a great idea for men?

Today I was reading an article from the Time Live about a company that is about to release a nail polish line for men. Unless you are a punk rock kid or a goth kid I personally do not know a single man who is going to wear nail polish and more importantly who thought that this was going to be a great idea.

I get it Johnny Depp may have wore nail polish in "The Rum Diaries" and he is an icon but he wore eyeline in the Pirates Of The Caribbean, but guys did not all of a sudden think 'Hey, Johnny Depp is wearing eyeliner so I think men should start wearing eyeliner!"

And last but not least...Te company who thought that it was a great idea to make fake eyelashes for men is STUPID!!!

As a guy I like to take a few minutes for myself....haircut, a shave and a few extra minutes in the barbers chair is a good thing. but remember we are guys not wormen....keep that in mind!!!

Movember

    The Waldorf Barbershop in Dublin, Ireland has become a bit of obsession of mine. Anytime there is a video online I watch it, I follow there website...etc. This is the shop would love to work in and grow in my trade in.
    Being a barber is a trade and it is one I am proud to be a part of. It is about other, it is about history and it is about community. This video is a good idea of how I feel about what I do....Enjoy the video.
    So Movember is not just about dudes growing mustaches but it is about men's health and Prostate Cancer awareness. It is a great cause....Find people involved support and donate!!

So I got to thinking a little more...

    So after I finished the last post I knew I better put this down or I would forget it. This is targeted at an barber who owns there own shop....INVEST IN YOUR FUTURE!!!

    1)Your Business: The truth is if you play your cards right the cost to open a barbershop is not very high. It probably may be one of the lowest costing businesses to open up. If you are a barber wanting to open a shop and you have to  start pretty stripped down you have to take the time and invest back into your shop. You know  you need a towel warmer-save your tips till you have enough to get a one. It is not as hard as you think it may be. To have a successful shop you have to put money back into it and not just barely survive!
    2)Invest In Yourself: Awesome! Everyone knows you can do a fade and don't get me wrong that is a good reputation to have, but do you know how to handle your shears. There is a lot more to doing men's haircuts in 2011. Do you know the trends, do you know how all the cool kids want to get there haircut like, do yo know the kind of products people are willing to spend money on. Get a hold of your local supply house and try to get into some education. It is cheap and a good think to do. Go to the convention and hair shows because they offer tons of classes, even for barbers.
     3)Invest in your staff:  If you have barbers working for you no matter whether you are a rent, commission or even an hourly shop: INVEST IN YOUR STAFF!! Encourage them to get out there and learn as much as they can. I believe in the end this benefits you, them and oh yeah....the customer!! Oh yeah do not be afraid to take a young barber under your wings....you barbers need mentors!
    4)Invest In Your Future: Last point of the night-When you are self employed more often then not we do not think about retirement until it is to late. I am not talking about investing in stocks but find a way to develop a retirement plan and do it early. I will be honest this is the toughest thing to do but you have to do it. If you go to your band an meet with a financial officer they can help you out and give you advice. Find an investment like gold or silver something that holds it's value well. Look out for you and your family!!

Ok, I think I am done for the night. Please give me any feedback or ideas.

Who is running the business?

    So tonight I was sitting around checking my e-mail waiting to hear from a shop I am trying to get into. Gold Star Barbershop is opening in Visalia, CA. in November. So the shop is owned by a local police officer and his wife. In getting opportunity to meet the owner and his wife and see the passion he has for the future of his shop and his business development.
  
    So knowing that I am trying to go work for a shop that is owned by folks that are not professionals in the hair industry has got me thinking about what is better working for people who are in the game or people who come from outside the barbering industry but have a love for the business, the community that their shop is in and support there employees. There was a time where I thought that it is better to work for a shop owned by a barber but the older I get and see how some barbers out there run business this is not always true.

    I have learned that I would rather work for someone that has the same vision I have and wants invest in me as an employee then just someone filling a chair giving them their commission or rent (whichever you may be doing).

    I have worked for shops owned by barbers and they have been both good and bad experiences but there has always been one common thread and that is they were not looking out for there staff. It was your responsibility to grow even though it would be beneficial for not just you as a barber but the shop as an employer to watch you grow in your trade.

    Ok here is really what I am trying to say (I think)....Barbers should strive to own your own shop and if you do look out for your staff and your business. Raise up the next generation of barbers. If you are looking for a shop to work at do not over look the shop owned by people in the community. What that barbershop owner may lack in understanding of the industry he may make up for in better business smarts and sometimes business smarts are just as important as professional knowledge.

    Hope this makes sense. it did in my head!!!

Proper Barbershop in LA....Proper shave

Not about being lazy...I love to get a good shave!!

    So I am really excited about my plans for the month of November. I am going to be visiting 3 barbershop in the central valley that still do a good ole fashioned straight razor shave. Two in Fresno and one out in Visalia (since I live smack in the middle of both towns).
 
   I was introduced to the straight razor shave shortly before we moved to Spokane on a visit the wife and I had taken up there to check out the job scene. While we were up there had a job interview and to get ready for my interview my buddy Johnny took my a  place called Dan's Barbershop (est.1961). It is still a family owned shop and is in the exact same location as the day they opened.

   So on this visit I went in for a haircut and a shave. Haircut of choice was a high and tight flat top (which upset the wife...not a fan of the flat top)The shave was awesome hands down the closest thing on the planet. Did the whole thing with only three towels. No fancy towel warmer just a sink that ran the hottest water ever. I know this for a fact since I spent a little bit of time there after I got my barber license.

   The shave is a classic part of getting a haircut and even though we are seeing a return to the barbershop not all shops are doing shaves and not all "barbers" even do shaves. The truth is the shave goes back to 1850. Some people believe it started to disappear in the 1950's

   So here is an idea...Next time you wife is going into to the salon to get her hair colored and cut you go find a shop get a good haircut and a shave then have a nice lunch with you wife and trust me she will appreciate it!!

Need a new set of Andis Master....Think Joes Barbershop!!

www.JOESBARBERSHOPCHICAGO.COM

 

    So check this out....If you are in the need of a new pair of Andis Master's instead of going over to Sally's or some other supply house get a hold of Joe's Barbershop in Chicago.

    These custom clipper's are brand new, out of the box. These are not 2nd hand clippers!! All internals are carefully removed from the case, then the empty clipper housing gets sandblasted, coated with the desired color, and cured at 500 degrees. After the case is cooled and inspected for flaws it gets a full coat of super durable clear Powder and visits the oven for a 2nd time for a slow cure process to insure a rock solid coating that will last for years. Then all internals are re-installed back into the freshly coated case, all wires are soldered and Heat shrinked (Andis® uses electrical tape), and everything is re-calibrated back to factory specs. The fresh/custom clipper gets put back into its original box, with all factory packaging, and is sent off to its new owner.

    Listen, I will be honest they are a little more expensive then buying a regular set of clippers, bot come on man theses look freaking awesome!!!  If you are looking for something cool to set you apart from the dude behind the chair next to you get a set of these!!

Some thoughts for the night

First things first....The holidays will be coming really soon and I am one of those guys who believes in sending a greeting card to my clients or any kind of rep I may deal with in the business. The problem is I am not going to send out some cheesy cliche Christmas card so last year I contacted an artist in Spokane,Washington who was actually doing design custom cards for the holiday season.

Jeff Allison is an artist and illustrator who has done design work for companies and events all across the country. If you are looking for a great and cool looking card for your cutomers you really need to get a hold of him and get your card designed before it is to late. you can e-mail him here:jeffallison@hotmail.com

2010 X-mas Card by Jell Allison

Listen I know you are thinking "Frankie why are you talking about the holidays already?". The truth is Christmas is right around the corner!! So it is time to start trying to make things easer for your customers. Everything from getting them into the chair before those big holiday events to helping them come up with cool gift ideas for certain family members.

Listen I get it some barber shops do not do appoinments for whatever reason but for the holidays it is a very good idea....encourage your customers to book there appointment early so not only will they be able to get in but just as importantly you are not stuck in the shop when you want to be spending time with your family.

Now to the gift issue....If you do not normally offer gift certificates think about doing so for the holiday because not only could it bring it extra money (listen I would buy my dad a gift certificate to a good barber as a stocking stuffer) and if you play your cards right it could bring you a few new customers and we all know that during the holiday season it can be tough to get new business into the shop.

Lucky Tiger  has cool packages!

Cheap gift ideas for your clients: develop gift packs or even buy them pre-packaged. I know that during the holidays American Crew sells gifts packs (my brother will usually get one). Spend the extra cash to have things around to give your customers gift ideas for their dads, sons and brothers. Below I have posted a couple of sites that have some cool gift ideas:
www.eshave.com
www.getluckytiger.com

Cafe Racers and Hawleywoods Barbershop

One of my favorite shows is called Cafe Racers that airs on an HD tv channel. Well this season they aired an episode that features hot Rod Walt from the band Psycho-DeVilles and Hawleywood's Barbershop....Enjoy!!!

Uppercut Deluxe Pomade

So everyone who already follows and is familiar with Hawleywood's Barbershop already knows that they have opened a shop in Sydney, Australia but there is a company based in Australia called Uppercut Deluxe (www.uppercutdeluxe.com). I have only recently found one barbershop that sells there products and that is called Johnny D's Barbershop in Campbell,Ca.

So I blasted them an e-mail and they were kind enough to send me a couple of there products to try out. So they kindly send me a can of Monster Hold, Uppercut Pomade and a sampler of the Uppercut Matte Clay.


So I want to start with the packaging. The tins remind me of the old tins of KIWI Shoe Polish my dad had around the house to polish his boots with. For me this is a cool. I think I figure there is almost 3.5 ounces of pomade in a can.


The Uppercut Deluxe Pomade is a water soluble pomade, similar to Layrite. It is an easy to use, washes right out pomade. Holds well and you can comb back into place if need be..But like Layrite make sure you put it into dry hair.

The second pomade I got to try out was there "Monster Hold". This is a good old fashioned wax pomade. You know the one I am talking about, the one that takes a few days to wash out and leaves stains on your pillowcase then your wife gets mad and takes away your pillowcase. As much of a fan I am of a good water soluble pomade sometimes I like an old fashioned wax and this is what you get in the "Monster Hold".

There are other products that I have not had the chance to use such as there shampoo, conditioner and last time I spoke to someone at Uppercut they are also going to work on a shaving product.

I am a fan of companies that work hard to create a good product and have a great history. This is another company that has given us a good product that is created with the help of barbers.

Maybe I am in the wrong end of the industry

Ok so I am just kidding...sort of! Yesterday the wife and I drove down to LA for the day and we were taking care of some business down in Inglewood (yes Inglewood). It was funny because not only did I count so many barbershop I counted a ton of "supply houses". It was insane how many there were, I mean in Fresno we have less then 10 (this includes Sallys, Cosmoproff...etc) I did not see a single Sallys in this area they seemed to all be local stores.

Now on to something of importance and it is something that effects all professionals and that is DIVERSION!!! Beth and I went into Target and the amount of questionable "professional" products was astounding. I am not going into a full tangent but I have a few points people need to understand:
1)Diversion Takes Money out of the pockets of professionals that you  are already seeing and rusting to take care of you as a consumer!!
2) "Professional"products found in stores like Wal mart, target or any other company and not always what they appear to be. (chemicals and other things may have been added to dilute the product)
3)Companies will not guarantee their product unless t has been purchased from a profession stylist/barber.
4)You are not always saving as much as you think you are.

The following companies work really hard to curb Diverion; Paul Mitchell, Redken,  Avdeda and TIGI and many more. Listen just support your professional get your hair done and buy your products from them it is just good form

Top Chef Marathon

So to anyone who knows me you know I am down with two things.....Barbering and Food. So today the wife and I are watcing the Top Chef:Just Desserts Marathon that is leading up to the new season that starts tonight on Bravo TV.

Chef Johnny Iuzzini

So courtesy of twitter I blasted Chef Johnny Iuzzini (host of Top Chef Desserts) this question: "As a barber I am curious where do you get your haircut a salon or a barbershop? What kind of product do you like to use?" The great thing is that he was kind enough to respond to my question and so here is his answer: "I get my haircut at F.S.C. Barber in the West Village (new York). I use Fiber Grease in my hair."

F.S.C. Barbershop has three locations 2 in New York (East  and West Side) and also on in the Mission District in San Franciso,Ca .

And do not forget to watch Top Chef:Just Desserts tonight and every Wednesday on Bravo!

American Crew, Hawleywoods and ClipperGuy

Normally I do not post a bunch of things about one specific brand but yesterday I went to Cosmoprof and purchased American Crew's fashion / trend book.This is really a neat book to have on a table in your shop.The Book is not only a picture editorial but it has some cool writing about mens culture.

In your purchase you get The Crew, a dvd and full pull out product guide. Get a hold of your local Cosmoprof and order it. Trust me it is a cool book to have around the shop.

Tomorrow night on the season premier of Cafe Racer (www.caferacertv.com). hawleywoods and the great Hot Rod Walt will be on the show, s check it out!!

Now on to Ivan Zoot....zoothair.com — Zoot Hair Awesome Short Hair charitable give back. $.25 cents donated to the American red cross every month for each bottle sold. Nice charitable initiative! The product is hair care and styling product specifically formulated for the needs of short hair.

Tools Video...

So here is a viideo from my good friend Luis at Covenant Barbershop in Fresno,Ca.

Trade magazines are cool and some other stuff.

So first thing is this...not enough trade publications that deal with barbering and mens grooming. I would be happy if there was something that came out quarterly. If you know where to find it let me know!

So my wife is a stylist so we have a few trade magazines that come to the house. One comes from Canada and it is called Canadian Hair Dressers. It is written in both English and you guessed it...French. I am honest one of the most creative magazines I have ever read!. the second magazine is called Launchpad. I really get excited because not only is it a good magazine but they do cover what is going on in mens trends. Twice a year Launchpad does a colorist supplemental issue and almost every time that hits the covers has to do with mens grooming. I beleive the key being a good barber is not all about the best fade (like here in Fresno) but it is about being able to do mens haircutting. This means knowing what is trending.


Ok on the my next piece of info....I am really excited to have read this. Coming in September American Crew has associated with the USO (United Service Organization) to release the Military Edition collection. American Crew will be making a one time donation to the USO, creating care packages (USO2GO) that will be sent to troops stations outside the United States  for the rest of 2011 and be involved in some USO events. As I find out more I will post it with picture so keep your eyes peeled and also get a hold of your CosmoProf / American Crew rep to try and get your hands on it. If you go to a barbershop that does not normally carry American Crew encourage the owner to get his hands on this product.

Last thing is this...if you live in central California especially in the south valley there is going to be a new barber shop opening up in downtown Visalia,CA called Gold Star Barbershop. As I learn more I will post it here and on my Facebook.

Corporate Haircut Training Pt.1

So today was day one of "pre-training" with the corporate salon that I got hired on with. It may not be where I want to work but I think it will be a good place for me for a while...plus it is work.

So I got there at 9:30 this morning and get started watching dvds. The first film is what I like to calll the "How Not To Be Douche Bag" video. It was so long and kind of funny at points.It is funny becuase the fact that they make these kinds of videos means that someone,somewhere made some kind of dumbass comments that proves they belong on the bottom of the proverbial food chain-then the flip side of that coin is that someone,somewhere was totally offended by said retard (yes I said retard...probably a protected word by corporate policy).

Point two about these video....Man did they seem out of date: hairstyles, fashion...it seemed like it was mid 1990"s instead of 2011 and also do the big shots of said corporated company get there hair did at any of the salons withing there corporate umbrella...just a thought.

Listen all jokes aside...I am looking forward to getting through all the training and getting back to cutting hair and learning some new stuff I have never had to do.

Haircut I did today for my technical interview.

Franks Chop Shop and SxSW

So first thing is that i wish I could go to Austin for SxSW one of these days....So much food and so much music...ok just so much cook stuff!!!

Ok if you do not know about Franks Chop Shop in NYC (www.frankschopshop.com) then well you kind of suck because I it is such a rad shop.

So this years SxSW Franks Chop Shop showed up with a trailer sponsered by AXE (crappy product but I can look past it!)...Enjoy the videos

Check this out

Ok so I am trying this out so I can start blogging more

Lucky 13- 20th Anniversary party

So I am really excited about this event. As someone who has been wearing Lucky 13 Apparel for along time now and as a barber I try to keep Lucky 13 Barber Supply in my bag when I am out cutting hair.

July 24, 2011 at Don The beachcomber in Huntington Beach Lucky 13 is having there 20th Anniversary Party from noon - 7pm....and it is FREE!!!!

If you are in the area make the trip....it is going to be awesome!!!

I found this kind of odd....

So one day a DTLA barbershop was running a deal...You show up to the shop between the hours of 5-8 you could get a free taper. Truth is this was kind of a cool internet promotion. First come first serve!!

Then I got to thinking about the definition of  a taper could be kind of broad. Are we talking about New Jersey douche bag taper or just a classic mens taper. So I asked them and there response was connected to a website with all kinds of barbering terminology and cool little drawings and definitions. Here is what was wierd about the website: It was a site geared towards "female to male" would this be considered transgender...I am not sure.

I just found that a professional barber was using a site geared towards chics who want to be dudes...Oh well

So I know I have not posted in a while.

Things have been crazy with this possible move to Washington I am working as much as I can trying to make heads and tails of some of this. But every now and again I can sneak in a haircut or two.

Today I did a haircut on this dude Danny Promise who has opened his boxing gym up to me to do haircuts and I cut his hair today and man it was awkward only because I cut his hair while he sat in an office chair that did not adjust. I was trying to bend down to hit the nape of his  neck and try to make sure it was all blended. Man it was tough so the truth is if I am going to try and make this work I am going to have to invest in a real barber chair.

Then there is Johnny....Thinks we should come down there and live in Boise. He wants me to come and work at the barbershop with him. Probably not.

So that is what has been going on...no new tools or anything cool to watch. Oh yeah go join hairbraned

just a quick note....

I wanted to quickly post something saying "thank you" to all the cool feedback regarding the Hawleywood videos. If I could of had the opportunity to train somewhere after I got out of school it would of been there. Not cause it is cool or hip but because they take pride in there business, shop and their cuts. I kind of wish things were handled now the way they used to be handled where a kat finished barber school with a license then he had to do and apprenticeship....now it is about the schools getting their coin (broad statement but unfortunately it has been the case that I have seen).

it is a trade I am proud to be apart of and hope to one day have the success to provide for my family doing what. Also thank you to everyone who supports barbers. I have seen in my own experience that some people within the hair game can stick there nose up at the barbering trade as being an important part of the hair industry....thank you to all of you who accept and appreciate what we as barbers do.

Cheers and I hope this made sense because it has been a long day!!

Barbershop on CBS..and customer service is key

My favorite show on t.v. right now is called BLUE BLOODS (cop drama on CBS). Was watching it last night and then all of a sudden there is a sequence showing Levels Barbershop!! I blasted a tweet about it and my wife was like what are you so excited about.....I guess I am the only kat who caught it. Oh well.

So I was hoping to get a new pair of clippers but I will be getting a new pair of trimmers instead since the wife forgot to ship my trimmers with the rest of my tools. I am looking at getting the SuperLiner (if anyone around here has them at least). The truth is I am slowly trying to get rid of my Oster tools and replace them with ANDIS tools. Why? One reason and as much as the quality of their tools are important it is all about the service. Not just the customer service when it comes to the tools but how open to there education with there education and willing to answer questions when you have them....Twitter, Facebook and even via e-mail. Heck, Ivan Zoot took time out of his busy schedule to talk to me on the telephone on day when I had questions about clipper cutting techniques.

For me this is the kind of thing that makes a customer for life.....Do not get me wrong Oster is a fin product but I just feel a company like Andis has far and beyond the normal company and this is something I have felt since the day I met Ivan Zoot at ISSE in Long Beach a couple of years ago....Thank you!

Good Night and continue to cut with pride,
Frankie

what a wierd start to my day.....

So yesterday I called this guy David who owns a barbershop here in Spokane, WA. So I went in today to chat with him in person. I was honest with my history and how much I want to cut. I told him I was able to use a razor and knew how to shave and right then and there he asked me to shave him.....AWKWARD!!!

I had not done a shave in some time and so I was  a bit nervous. Took me a while and I know I made a few mistakes but I was happy.

I made mistakes but I was happy because I was doing what made me happy

So last night the wife and I were talking about a bunch of stuff and one thing I said was that all the crap I go through to be able to work as a barber I think someone else would of  already sold there tools and given up and I do not want to do that.

I love my trade and I believe one day my time will come and I will see the success I desire as long as I do not give up.

quick update...

  So here is what is going on these days....I am up here in Spokane,Washington and I want to thank all those who have welcomed me home proper like!! I am unfortunately still waiting on the state of Washington to issue me reciprocity so I can get to cutting!!!

  I will probably be having my lovely wife send me down my tools in the next week or so, so if you are in need of a haircut I will be available.

  So since I have been go I have seen several shops open up that were not here before....my friends at Porter's barbershop have gotten to the point where they are appt. only (good job guy's) and I have been chatting up a kid down in Hillsboro,Oregon that will be opening his own shop on April 1st. his name is Travis Henry and his shop is called Henry's Chop Shop Hair Studio. This cat is fresh out of school and we wish him all the luck!!!

  I will be honest I should of just grown a pair of bullocks and did things the way this kid is doing it and the way my boy Luis at Covenant Barbershop did....by there own rules!! When you go to work for yourself it is all on you whether you succeed or fail.....no one else s fault.

  Working in any professional trade whether it is Barbering, Tattooing or really any trade that there are only two options.....work for yourself or someone else. Do you really want to give some other sucker all your hard earned dough or are you willing to step out and control your own future...Truth is if it is not too late for you
it is not too late for me!!

CUT WITH PRIDE

So here is whats up today

I got all my paperwork mailed for my WA. state barber license...now it is time to wait.

So one of the things that has been on my mind about what we do as barbers is figuring out where we stand as barbers. As a barber are we supposed to just do the old fashioned men's cut and that is it or those who work as traditional barbers loose there integrity when they begin to seek out those who are working hard to step outside the box of men's haircutting.

This leads me to Dale Ted Watkins a stylist in England and owner of City Boy Men's Hairdressing 
I have quickly become a fan of this man and his philosophy on education. If you are a barber check out his education I think you will be as impressed as I am.

I think it is important to be willing to step outside of the the box of just working as a barber....look at what is going on around in our trade.....Just a thought

Next stop...Back to Washington!!

So here is what is going on....paper work has been mailed to get my barbers Lic. in Washington. I am leaving in two weeks back to Spokane which has become my home away from home. Will be working at a restaurant as I also get my hands dirty back behind the barber chair. I will be looking for a shop to call home a few days a week, which I am excited for!!

I am also contemplating taking on the role of Rep for a company called Hairgum. I have been back and forth a few times about what the job would consist of so I guess we will see what pans out, especially after the move!

Look for more blogs and infor as things come together over the next few months!

Over night in LA....

So we all know that to make that money I have to hustle over-priced coffee to the masses. So on Monday after I have been up since 5 am I called my wife and told her to get a bag together cause we are blasting out of here....straight to the city of angels. Got a hotel in El Segundo for the night.

First thin first was to grab some dinner so we tracked down the Grill Em All truck (winners of the Food Networks Great Food Truck Race). Had the Molly Hatchet and some fries tossed in truffel oil....Best dinner in a while.

Tuesday and we were up and headed to Santa Monica for breakfast at Ye Olde Kings Head for just some of the best English food in LA. I am not talking about bastardized American versions of English food. This place is legit. The only place I can drink beer with my breakfast and not feel guilty or like a drunk Irishman!!

The rest of the day was just spent hanging out....found multiple Floyd's Barbershops, Rudy's on Melrose, Shorty's Barbershop found on Highland ( I think that is where it was). So many cool barbershops through out Los Angeles.

What is the point of this you ask...food, barbershops...etc. The point is to get out there explore what is going on and if there is nothing around that interest you blast away for little while and see what the rest of the world is doing. Do not eat at the same restaurant they have where you live meet some locals explore other neighborhoods....trust me you will like what you find!!

Cheers
Frankie

Looking out for your clients!!!

So Barberbshop Blog just posted a link on twitter to a recent product review of AXE 3 new shampoos and I quickly responded with my opinion of the products I have used; "my wife hates the smell of AXE and there shower Wash dries out my skin...mediocre product that is a heck of a marketing machine!"

I believe we as barbers should be looking out for the well being of our clients. Taking care of our clients is more then just cutting there hair and throwing 'em out of the chair and on to the next cat. Just cause our clients can get shampoo and pomade/gel for cheap at the wal-mart does not mean they are getting a good product.

Just like salons work with there clients on recommending the right haircaire products, barbers should be looking out for there clients in the same way....also these days if you play your cards right it can down right profitable!! You heard me PROFITABLE.

The key is educating yourself on what is going on in the game of mens grooming and more importantly understanding the needs of your clients.

The following companies have good mens lines. B Men (Tigi), American Crew, Redken For Men (Redken), Layrite (Layrite). This is just to name a few.

In the end all I am saying is we really want the best for our clients from the time they sit in our chair to the time they walk out the door all the way to the time they return to our chair!! Just a thought.

Cheers,
Frankie

Happy New Year!!!

So the holidays are over and 2011 has started; I hope everyone had a great Christmas season!!

I am not one for new years resolutions because the truth is we make unrealistic goals and in the first few months that's it (if we make it beyond month one!). But this year I am working on a few plans....I am going to be headed down south to meet with Anthony who owns several barbershops in So. Cal. and hoping to get a job in one of his shops so I can ge back to what I love and that is being behind the chair full time....Until then I plan on spending all my time off with my buddy Luis who owns Covenant Barbershop here in Fresno. This are things I can do and look forward to doing.

If you are going to make plans for the new year...be realistic and do not give up on your plans or goals.

Have a great 2011
Frankie