Finding an "old school" barber shop is is getting harder and harder. Even Gene wants to make it clear that he offers hair styling, too. Barbers have a rigorous training program and the barber pole (see above the PEPSI machine) is said to be the oldest symbol of a trade or craft and it dates back to the BC era. Barbers were known as barber-surgeons and have always been well respected. From the feedback online, Greensboro's Barber Gene is well respected here. One customer said that Gene can use a straight razor to shave hair down to a zero. Now that's smooth.
Barber shops are known for being great places to congregate and to share the latest ideas. Barbers need to be able to cut hair, give a clean shave, sharpen a razor with a razor strap, and be a worthy debater. Maybe we should stop Gene's and learn about a day in the life of a barber. Gene's is located on Spring Garden Street across from yesterday's little gray art house.
Good to see barber shop culture still runs strong in some parts of the US. I grew up going to the same barber my dad went to as a kid. Hair salons moved in and the barber went out of business. Nothing quite like the barber shop experience. I only get it when I travel out of town now.
Posted by: Jon W | Tuesday, February 11, 2014 at 01:03 PM