greeted by Erich as soon as I arrived at the barbershop around 4p.m. He was sitting outside in front of the shop returning phone calls and responding to text messages. We spoke briefly about how his day was going. He could tell I was a little nervous about walking into the shop, since it was very busy and I was definitely the only girl their. He couldn't help but laugh. Erich asked me if was ready and I hesitantly smiled and said yes. It was now or never...
As we walked in, all eyes were on us and I got the feeling that all the guys were wondering what I was doing there. Erich asked if I wanted to sit in his barber chair since he wasn't planning on cutting anyone else that day. I sat down and he made sure that I was comfortable before he went to the back of the shop to eat his lunch.
I sat there looking around and observing everyone. I was still a little nervous. There were about eight barbers and clients in every chair, getting haircuts and edge ups and several others waiting to be next. There was hip-hop music playing loudly and some of the guys were singing along. This led to a conversation between the guys about singing the girl's verse of the song. They were discussing how uncool it is for guys to sing the girl's lyrics and how only girls should sing the girls verses.
As I watched the clients going in and out, I paid close attention to how they interacted with their barber. The barber and client would exchange "the guy handshake" which is a handshake and a semi-hug that is more like a pat on the back. This handshake would happen when the client first arrived as a way of saying hi and again when they were getting ready to leave, it was followed by "thanks bro."
Incase I failed to mention; there were absolutely all guys in the barbershop!!! I completely stood out but all of the barbers and clients were very welcoming. The shop had a very "homey" feel to it. It was small, clean and very "guyish." There was a small chess table by the waiting area and the walls were adorned with pictures of Erich with the many celebrities he has met and cut hair for. It was like a wall of Fame. Towards the back of the wall was DJ booth for the DJ that occasionally comes in and spins on Saturdays. He was one of Erich's close friends. There was also a flat screen TV on the back wall with a play station so the clients could play video games while they wait.
The first chair on the right belongs to Erich but it's used very often because he doesn't cut hair as much as he used to. The chair across from him belongs to Elvis, the barber who has worked for Erich the longest.
The next topic of conversation amongst the barbers was high school reunions and if they should go. The majority stated that they didn't see a point in going. The conversation didn't last long. I noticed that the barbers are really loud when they are talking to each other and they all jump into each other's conversations. Maybe it's because of the electric razors and music or maybe they are just loud because they are guys...
Of course they talked about girls and checked out the ones who would pass by the shop outside. I think they tired to keep their comments respectful because I was there...
I also noticed that all the barbers took turns answering the phone and sweeping. There was no receptionist or assistant. It was up to the barbers to help out around the shop.
My visit to the shop went well. The barbers treated me very nice and they didn't seem to mind that I was there. It was a unique experience getting insight on things guys talk about when there are no girls in the room.
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