Nobody hands you a rulebook the first time you walk into a barbershop. You are expected to pick it up by watching, which is fine if you grew up going with your dad and less fine if you did not.
So here it is, written down: fifteen unwritten rules of the barbershop. None of them are strict. Break one and nobody will throw you out. But follow them and you will be the client every barber is glad to see — and, not by coincidence, you will get better haircuts.
Before you arrive
1. Book if you can
Walk-ins are welcome at both of our shops, and plenty of shops everywhere take them. But an appointment means your barber has planned for you, and you do not spend twenty minutes reading a magazine from 2019. At our shops, you can book online at any time and see every barber’s rate before you confirm.
2. If you walk in, call first
A quick call — “anyone free in the next half hour?” — saves you a wasted trip and saves the barber from having to turn someone away. Our number is 716-389-0192.
3. Show up on time, or a few minutes early
Barbers book back to back. If you are fifteen minutes late for a thirty-minute appointment, someone loses: either you get a rushed cut or the next person waits. If you are running late, call.
4. Cancel early
Life happens. When it does, cancel as early as you can so someone else can have the slot. It takes thirty seconds and it is the single most appreciated thing a client can do.
5. Come with clean, dry-ish hair
Not freshly showered and dripping, not three days of gel. Hair that is clean and in its normal state shows your barber how it actually behaves.
In the chair
6. Say what you want before the cape goes on
The first two minutes matter more than the next twenty-eight. More on exactly what to say further down.
7. Put the phone down
Looking down at a phone tips your head forward, and your barber has to keep moving it back. It also moves the neckline. Answer a quick text if you must, but the scroll can wait thirty minutes.
8. Hold still, and go where you are put
Your barber will tilt and turn your head for each section. Go with it. Do not turn to look at someone who just walked in, especially when there is a razor near your ear.
9. Talk, or do not — both are fine
Some people chat the whole time. Some close their eyes. Barbers are good at reading which kind you are. If you would rather not talk, a short answer and a relaxed silence sends the message perfectly politely.
10. Speak up early if something looks wrong
The worst time to say something is after the cape comes off. The best time is the moment you notice. “Can we leave the top a bit longer?” in minute ten is easy. In minute twenty-nine it is a problem.
When it is done
11. Check the back
Your barber will hand you a mirror. Actually look. If anything is off, now is the time. Saying “looks great” and then complaining to your friends helps nobody.
12. Tip, if you tip
Fifteen to twenty percent is the usual range, rounded to something easy. On a $25 Classic, that is about $4 or $5. Our full guide on how much to tip a barber covers edge ups, kids’ cuts and the awkward cases.
13. Book the next one before you leave
It is the easiest way to stay sharp, and it tells your barber you want them again. Most short cuts need doing every three to five weeks — our post on how often to get a haircut has the schedule by style.
The long game
14. Stick with one barber
This is the big one. A barber who has cut your hair five times knows your cowlicks, your growth patterns and what you mean by “a little off the top.” You get better haircuts in less time with less explaining. Switching barbers within the same shop can feel awkward, but it is completely normal — nobody keeps score.
15. Bring your kids the right way
Kids are welcome. Tell the shop when you book that it is a kid’s cut, especially if it is a first haircut or your child finds haircuts hard. Our kids’ cuts cost the same as an adult cut and take about thirty minutes. Our guides to kids’ haircuts in Williamsville and kids who are scared of haircuts cover the rest. One thing to know: we do not cut girls’ hair at the barbershop.
What to say to your barber
Here is the part that actually changes your haircut. These are the sentences barbers wish every client would say.
Say what you want it to look like in three weeks
“I want it to still look decent in three weeks” tells a barber more than any style name. It decides how short the sides go and how the top is cut.
Say what went wrong last time
“Last time the top was too short” or “my neckline grew in weird” is gold. It is the fastest way to a better cut.
Say how you wear it
“I push it back with my fingers and nothing else” or “I part it on the left.” The top should be cut for how you actually style it.
Give numbers if you know them
“A #2 on the sides.” If you do not know your numbers, our clipper guard chart explains them — or just describe it and ask your barber what they used.
Bring a photo, plus one sentence
A photo is a great starting point. Add one sentence about what you like in it: “I like how the sides blend into the top.”
Ask for their opinion
“What would you do with my hair?” is a perfectly good opening line. Good barbers have opinions, and they are usually right.
What not to say
- “Just a trim.” Everyone means something different by it. Say how much.
- “Do whatever.” Unless you truly mean it. Then enjoy the surprise.
- “Make me look like him” about a celebrity with completely different hair. Say what you like about the look instead.
- “Same as last time” to a barber who has never seen you before. It happens more than you would think.
Etiquette for special situations
Bringing a group
Booking for a wedding party, a team or a family? Book everyone at once, ideally across more than one barber, and tell the shop it is a group. Our private parties page covers events, and House Calls (from $225) bring the chair to you anywhere in Western New York.
Your first cut after a long time
If it has been months, say so. Your barber may need to take more off than usual to get back to a good shape, and a little warning helps everyone.
Bringing someone who needs extra care
An elderly parent, a nervous teenager, a child who finds haircuts hard — tell the shop when you book. It helps them plan the right time and the right barber.
When you are under the weather
If you are sick, reschedule. Your barber spends thirty minutes very close to your face, and then does the same for everyone else that day.
Etiquette the other way: what you should expect
Good manners go both ways. Wherever you get your hair cut, it is fair to expect:
- A question before the first cut.
- A price you know before you sit down. At our shops, you see each barber’s rate when you book.
- Clean tools and a fresh neck strip.
- A mirror at the end, and a fix if something is off.
- A licensed barber. In New York, barbers are licensed by the Department of State.
Is it okay to…
- …ask for a different barber next time? Yes. Just book them. Nobody is offended.
- …ask for a fix? Yes, especially if you mention it in the chair. Our guide on fixing a bad haircut covers what is fixable.
- …bring a friend to wait? Usually fine. Just keep the waiting area free for clients.
- …fall asleep during a shave? Happens all the time. Our hot towel shave is practically designed for it.
The Williamsville shop
6100 Main St., Williamsville, NY 14221. Open Tuesday through Friday 9AM to 6PM and Saturday 8AM to noon. Closed Sunday and Monday. Four barbers: Jon Palmeri (owner and master barber), Dave Scolla (master barber), and Michael Falzone and Bryan Castronova (licensed New York State barbers). Waxing — brows, ears and nose — is offered here only.
Book online or call 716-389-0192. And if it is your first time, say so when you sit down. That is the one rule that matters most: tell your barber what you want, and let them do the rest. For more, read our Williamsville barber shop guide.
