Taking a trip down the proverbial destination known as Memory Lane can be a perilous journey. You…read moreremember the good times, obviously, but then you start to question some of your more, let's say "creative" moments as you look back on your life. Jumping off the roof of the slide in fifth grade was pretty cool until you realized there were rocks under you, and jumping into a relationship with a woman who owns a bookshelf and no books was pretty cool until you realized there was a crazy person in front of you. And I think we can all agree getting out of college before camera phones existed is proof that timing truly is everything. But then sometimes you look back on your life and ask the hard-hitting questions like, "Why did I not name names in my Yelp review of the barbershop I've been going to for more than 10 years?"
By now the more astute Yelp readers have noticed a former five-star review and this new five-star review. Essentially this is an update that dares to improve upon perfection, where "perfection" is the Razor's Edge experience and not my former five-star review. (While not as bad as some of my Yelp reviews from "back in the day," it's not my favorite piece of work I've ever shared with the Internet in a desperate plea for attention.) The reason for this update is simple: following the emergence of "normalcy" as the COVID-19 pandemic continues, haircuts and barbershops are like sacred grounds in a world where we could all pass for ZZ Top stunt-doubles. That Razor's Edge has been doing what they do for years while weathering the coronarvirus storm to continue providing marvelous haircuts is a testament to the talents of everyone under this roof.
A visit to Razor's Edge is akin to a social gathering. Customers are laughing and making conversation with their barbers, the woman at the desk has never met a stranger, and the team of stylists are as welcoming as they are knowledgable about cutting, trimming and other verbs related to the act of bringing sharp metal objects near clients' heads to make them look ravishing. The brightly lit interior is relaxed yet professional, with TVs periodically perched around the room and a radio tuned to a diverse mix of tunes. (I heard Def Leppard's "Animal" here one Saturday morning, and sometimes that's all you need to ensure your weekend is going to be okay.) Round it off with some awesome shoe shine services and (new!) reserved parking spots out front, and Razor's Edge certainly makes you feel special whether you're a walk-in or a regular.
And speaking of regularity, I consider myself fortunate to have been blessed with the ability to visit the same barber for all this time. Brian is an excellent barber, for not only does he do an exceptional job at cutting hair, but he also manages to make me look good. My typical "style" can best be described as "struggling artist," and yet Brian makes me look awesome. My friends and family are routinely amazed at my transformation into something resembling a functioning member of society, and it's thanks to Brian's skills. I've recommended plenty of others to his chair in the corner of the barbershop, and will continue to do so.
The same goes for Jerry, another skillful master who has cut my nephew's hair now for... I'd rather not say, because that's going to make me feel "ancient," and I'm just now okay with feeling "old." Suffice it to say, my nephew will be nine-years-old in a couple weeks at the time of this writing, and Jerry has never failed to make him look like a very charming and stylish young man. I begrudgingly abandoned any hope of still being "the cute one" in our family after my nephew started getting his haircut from Jerry. Such is life.
Such is Razor's Edge, now that I think about it. I've only managed to talk about two of the fine stylists under this roof, but I guarantee there are hundreds of customers with equally impressive stories to share about their visits here. Be it a visit to Brian or Jerry or whomever else is available, you're in great hands as soon as you walk through the door.
There will be those who feel this review is hyperbolic and exaggerated, though they probably didn't read far enough to get to this sentence. And there will be those who scoff at the pricing, to which I would offer the timeless reminder of "you get what you pay for," and whatever I've paid for here has always left me looking sharp. When all is said and done and you're going down Memory Lane, you'll have nothing but fondness for the time you spent here.
