Posted by Rebecca Katz '16
Larry’s Barbershop, located on Washington Street, serves as a business where men get their hair cut, and it is also a place where men receive and give support to each other through banter. Customers may even hear the barbers describe the environment as an “old school” business that is a sort of “spa for men.” These two phrases describe the shop’s atmosphere well and bring to light the experience and support that keep men in Saratoga coming back to Larry’s.
The business itself is located at 74 Washington Street in an old building that used to be a hotel. The outside of the shop is simple, displaying a sign with the shop’s name and a barber’s red, white, and blue pole over a wooden bench with an American flag painted on it. Once a customer walks into the shop, warm and yellow, but bright light, along with a personalized greeting from one of the barbers, greets them. The sounds of men’s voices conversing, complaining, and joking intermingles with the buzzers switching on and off, the snipping of scissors, the turning of newspaper pages, and when it occasionally goes quiet, the ads on the radio. These sounds emanate from men hanging out together and supporting each other.
The business itself is located at 74 Washington Street in an old building that used to be a hotel. The outside of the shop is simple, displaying a sign with the shop’s name and a barber’s red, white, and blue pole over a wooden bench with an American flag painted on it. Once a customer walks into the shop, warm and yellow, but bright light, along with a personalized greeting from one of the barbers, greets them. The sounds of men’s voices conversing, complaining, and joking intermingles with the buzzers switching on and off, the snipping of scissors, the turning of newspaper pages, and when it occasionally goes quiet, the ads on the radio. These sounds emanate from men hanging out together and supporting each other.
The conversations in Larry’s Barbershop, although serious at times, are regularly peppered with intermittent jokes and chuckles. In this way, men may grumble about their daily lives. Yet, these grumbles never get too solemn, as there is always a barber or another customer to tease the complainer or change the subject to a popular topic such as the current big sporting event, horse racing, or one of the barber’s band’s recent gigs.
Larry’s Barbershop maintains an emphasis on an “old school” environment through allowing men to talk and joke with each other without distraction. These conversations provides support for men, much like spas provide in other parts of Saratoga Springs.
Larry’s Barbershop maintains an emphasis on an “old school” environment through allowing men to talk and joke with each other without distraction. These conversations provides support for men, much like spas provide in other parts of Saratoga Springs.