Cheating on my barber

How loyal are you to service people, such as barbers, mechanics and plumbers?

I have a guy who has been cutting my hair for 20 years. He now has a one-chair shop and only works weekdays from 8 to 1. Since it's not always convenient, I'll sometimes go to one of the chain places for a haircut, but always feel like I'm cheating on him.

I'll get the oil changed wherever I have a coupon, no loyalty there.

Not very brand loyal, either. Coke or Pepsi, Crest or Pepsodent, whatever is on sale will do.

Am I the norm?

 

I am very brand loyal when a choice is available. If I go to get something to drink, I buy Coke products. If the eating establishment serves Pepsi products, I'm OK with that. (for example)

If your barber changed his hours and it prevents you from going to him, I see that as the same kind of deal. You aren't really choosing to cheat on him. It's out of necessity.

My wife has cut my hair the last 3-4 years, so cheating on my barber would be a whole new issue!

 

Ditto for me Joe

 

So MTM, I guess you're looking to get your trim elsewhere?

 

How dare you?

 

I have a pretty basic, simple haircut, but I'm really picky about it. There's a barber in my hometown who does it just right - and in about 5 minutes and for $7 - and to this day I try to time my haircuts so that I'll need one when I visit each of the two or three times a year I take a trip through there. I mean, I get a haircut every 4-6 weeks anyway, but I'll go to great lengths to line it up so I can get a couple good ones every year.

Other than that, I have very few brand or product loyalties. One of the lone exceptions is the pen I like to use, a Pentel R.S.V.P. It drives my insane to have to use a different kind of pen to the point that I'll buy up four or five packs when I go to get more just so I know I can stash them everywhere and not run out any time soon.

 

I had my barber/stylist go to another spot with higher prices so I stayed with someone else at the spot which was more convenient. Old guy came back and saw me with the other guy and was pissed, talk about uncomfortable. But I decided to go back to the old guy because my wife said he was better. Cleared the air the first visit and things are now fine. Yeah, I felt guilty.

 

Eight posts and no Tiki jokes yet?

 

I guess there's an on-topic jack going on.

 

I just want to get my hair cut; I don't want conversation unless I initiate it. I wangt to flop in the chair and get my haircut, not explain every damn time how to do it.
Same guy cut my hair for 15 years -- a left-handed cockeyed haircut (yes, he had a lazy eye).
Got it cut the week before I moved South and told the barber I'd miss him the most because, except for the other barber in the shop who I let cut it when the first guy was on vacation, I didn't have to explain a lot.
Moved down here and found a barber a couple miles away. Eventually, he became trained how I wanted my hair; naturally, he retired recently. A woman who works in his shop bought him out. Ms. Slappy hates the way she cuts my hair -- too short in her eyes -- and for a while, she hated me in her chair because I was nitpicky. She still might hate it, but she knows how to cut it.
And despite Ms. Slappy asking me tonight if my hair was ever going to grow back because she cut it too short two weeks ago and it isn't growing back, I'll go back to her barber shop because she knows how to cut it without a lot of explanation.
Finally.

 

In high school and college, I went to the same barber. Never made an appointment. Then I got a bad haircut one day. Whatever. Then a second. OK. Then a third, just before I left for spring break. That was it.
Then I started going to the, umm, "minority" barber. I was usually the only white kid in there. Perfect fade every time. I stayed with him for three years until I realized the battle I was fighting with my hairline was futile.
I've cut my own hair for the last three years and don't plan on changing. It takes five minutes and costs a lot less.