Barbershops well worth visiting
To the editor:
According to the State of Maine Department of Regulatory Licensing and Permitting, there remain 13 active licensed barbers in Aroostook County. The number of barbers is in decline statewide.
Now I suppose there are a variety of economic concerns that we could highlight regarding Northern Maine. Barbering should not be one of them. As barbers reach the age of retirement nationwide we are seeing their clientele being shifted to hair salons and other cosmetology-related services due to a shortage of men and women entering the trade.
This has always baffled me. The barbershop offers a distinctly masculine experience; the atmosphere alone is worth a visit. The variety of products such as Bay Rum Spice aftershave, Osage Rub, warmed shave cream and barbicide provide sufficient olfactory stimulation to keep one alert for the remainder of the day. Barbering chairs that are simultaneously ornate and industrial combined with kitschy wall hangings provide ample decoration for men.
I love the sound of the Classic 76 Oster clippers humming like a small engine, as opposed to the high-pitched whine of the baby-sized, imported, battery-operated clippers one finds most everywhere else. The affordable walk-in nature of barbershop scheduling is a godsend for many of us; who do not wish to schedule one more commitment throughout the week.
My own barber is a splendid fellow, well versed on the benefits of shaving with a double-edge safety razor, a straight edge, or the overpriced shaving products found on most shelves. He’s more than just a barber, though; part of the experience is a combination of comedy, political commentary, counseling (whether you want the advice or not), general observations and an overall concern for the well-being of others. It’s like church, without the singing.
I’m concerned barbering is becoming a lost art and would simply encourage folks with a steady hand, good eye, solid work ethic and tolerable personality to consider taking up the craft.
Wes Lavigne
Mapleton
