Hot take: The new 'express' barbershop in Cleveland is doing more harm than good

I checked out that 15-minute haircut place on Euclid Avenue last Friday, and their whole process is just a rushed assembly line with clippers. The barber I watched didn't even do a proper consultation, just asked for a number and went straight to buzzing. How do you build a clientele or take pride in your craft when you're just trying to move people through like that? Is speed really worth sacrificing the skill and personal touch that makes this a trade?

3 comments

3 Comments

simonh741mo ago

Funny you mention that, it reminds me of the old barber my dad used to take me to. The guy would spend a full hour just on a basic cut, telling stories the whole time. You left feeling like a million bucks, not just trimmed. That kind of place feels almost extinct now.

henderson.wesley1mo ago

My grandpa's barber shop smelled like bay rum and took 45 minutes for a shave. You just don't get that anymore.

kim6931mo ago

Ugh, that sounds awful. @simonh74 is right about that old school vibe being gone, and honestly I'd rather wait a week for a real appointment than feel like a chore on a checklist. The whole point is to leave looking better, not just faster.