Come To Joe's

Despite what the title may imply, Joe's, in this case, is not an eatery, but a Barbershop near Logan Square in Chicago.  I actually went here for a project for a writing class, but also because my hair was getting a little on the long side and needed a trim in a bad way.  Normally, for lack of a decent barber nearby, me and my buddies go to The Barber College and get $8 haircuts that take about an hour and normally end up mediocre, but my project gave me and my room mate, Greg, to take the 20 minute train ride up to Joe's.  First off, Joe's looks the part even from the outside.  The shop is a small, old, brick building with barber poles all over it.  The inside of the place is cluttered with all sorts of retro and vintage paraphernalia and nearly every inch of wallspace has some sort of vintage photo or ad.  One section even has a bunch of ponytails on the wall.  I asked one of the barbers, and he said they were from the 80s when guys came in to get their long hair cut short.  Joe himself is a stand-up guy who seems like he's been doing this near forever.  He's got all sorts of stories about growing up in the 50s and music and all that jazz.  Better still, he gives a damn good haircut, and he does it fast.  His hands are like lightning with a pair of clippers, and he get's it right every time.  I didn't catch the names of the other two barbers there, but they were both great guys too and both knew what they were doing.  Greg just needed a trim, so he was done in a few minutes.  I took a little longer because I opted for a pompadour and the fella doing the cutting styled it a bit for me too.  By the way, for any of those who like Layrite Pomade, Joe's carry's it, original and super hold, for $15 a tin.   Actually, most of anything you get there, including a haircut, shave, or t-shirt is $15.  Now, was the haircut here worth the extra $7 plus tip over the Barber College? ABSOLUTELY!  Hell, Greg and I have made this our new go-to place in the city to get a trim, despite the ride and extra cost.  I'd highly recommend Joe's to anyone in the area who needs a decent barber.  Their website is http://joesbarbershopchicago.com/.  Also, I brought up Layrite so I'll put a plug for them too.  Layrite, while on the expensive side, is a great product.  It has great hold for a tall pompadour and washes out easily with water and shampoo.  Also, it's got a great vanilla scent that drives girls wild, just saying. You can pick it up at Joe's (or their website) or get it from the source at http://www.hawleywoods.com/.