A cut above the rest at Phil's Barber Shop

Phil's Barber Shop is located within J Salon open Tues-Sat

 I've heard, and seen, J Salon before but I never had the chance to visit. Located at Ward Plaza the chic, minimalistic interior now houses a unique barber shop pop-up for the modern man seeking a traditional, clean, quick cut. Enter through the glass doors and you will turn the corner to the right and find a cozy room with 2 barber chairs.  This room with its Elvis tunes took us back in time and to a major metropolitan city somewhere on the East Coast. The iconic barber shop red, blue and white striped pole spins on the wall and welcomes you to a room filled with historic family images, antique barber shop finds and special grooming waxes, tonics, creams and foams. 

---

210 Ward Ave #101 - lots of free and ample parking

Phil Marsala was the grandfather to J Salon Owner/Stylist Joe Randazzo. His actual tools and images are perfectly placed in the barber shop as an homage to the man who began his barber training at the young age of 7.

,Phil's Barber Shop opened about a month ago and is considered a pop-up because they are looking for a larger, more permanent location at the moment. This nook, which used to be the office for J Salon, offers a wooden bench to sit and an outdoor seating area, but realistically only has two chairs which can be used for men's classic cuts and straight-razor shaves. 

My husband Daniel hasn't had a hair cut since he shaved his head about 5 months ago. So, I was eager to get him seated in the chair and have his first barber shop cut by the owner, Vidal Sassoon educator and former art director, Joe Randazzo. Joe named the barber shop after his grandfather Phil who established his own 'Phil's Barber Shop' in the front room of his Michigan home back in 1931. It's a bit fortuitous that Joe went on to become a noted hairstylist like his grandfather whom he never had the chance to meet before he passed. Phil's legacy lives on in Joe's cuts, colors and memorable smile. 

---

My husband Daniel is a low maintenance type of guy who cleans up well. He doesn't like to shave and also doesn't like to put much effort into his hair since he wears a hard hat all day.

As you can see this "before" picture showcases how long and unkempt his hair was.

Daniel told Joe he could do whatever he wanted. The both of us watching this artist in action was really exciting as we didn't know what to expect. Live art installation in progress!

Barber cuts usually take 30-45 minutes and don't include shampoo, scalp massage and don't require you to change into a smock. Everything is done in the chair and is quite efficient. You could tell Joe is a perfectionist.

After about an hour Joe cleaned up Daniel's hair. Gave him a meticulous fade and left some of the length on the top. He left the style nice and versatile too, so Daniel could part it on one side or sweep it back or up. I love the look.

I literally felt like my husband was a new man! Daniel said he liked the cut too. It was different compared to what he is used to, but the style was clean, tapered beautifully, he looked like a real gentleman. I kinda wanted to go out and get dressed up together -- he looked so good!

A Graduate of 'The Old School Barber Academy' in Rotterdam, Holland, Joe believes the profession of barbering is amongst one of the oldest in the world and prides himself with being a true master of his craft.

Overall, this was a unique, fun, interesting and very cool experience. We both took lots of photos of the pop-up shop as it was such a surprise to walk in and be swept away to another era. For guys seeking a true gentleman's cut without the awkward vibes of being in a feminine salon, amongst the ladies who lunch, this is a great escape to get groomed and leave feeling oh so handsome and masculine. 

A Phil's Barber Shop haircut is only $40
Haircut with Joe is $60 *note his men cuts start at $140 in J Salon 
They also offer a gentleman's shave featuring a traditional straight razor. Details on that will be posted in my next blog... And so many men, co-workers and friends are really excited about that one. 

More information can be found at http://www.philsbarber.com or call 550-4441, email info@philsbarbershop.com
​