Sport Clips

Waiting area with 18 seats. Never have waited longer than twenty minutes, and that was today on Christmas eve when everyone’s gotta get their kids looking great for holiday parties. Great friendly staff, can’t even recommend one stylist because I’ve had them all and never been unhappy (and I have some tough cow licks to work with, so that’s saying something!)

I’ve been going to Sport Clips for about a year and you’d think because of that, I’d give it more than 3 stars. It’s a solid place to get your haircut. Very clean inside with flat screens all over so you can get your ESPN fix while getting groomed. If you’re looking for the traditional, social barber shop this is not the place for you. I’ve tried some other «sports themed ‘salons’ for men» and the most appealing part of this one is it’s price. Just a hair cut is priced reasonably at $ 16 and «the works» is $ 21 which gets you a shampoo, hot steam towel, and a massage by a handheld massager. I’ve spent almost twice as much at similar places. What it lacks is the straight-​razor shave and it seems in recent past, a lot of «barber shops» are doing away with them. If you’re a barber shop for men, the barbers should be able to provide this service. They offer a frequent buyer card that is after 7 haircuts the next one is half off. This is nice and all, but it replaced one that really had perks– every couple visits got you a couple dollars off and once in a while offered a really good deal. The bottom line is every time I’ve been here I’ve never gotten a bad cut– I guess that’s all you can ask for when it comes to your haircut.

I went to the new Sport Clips in Fairless Hills. This was supposed to be the solution to all the old barbers leaving the system and the manly alternative to women’s beauty shops. I guess men aren’t comfortable with other men cutting their hair anymore because all the hair cutters are women. (and my observation is that unattractive women need not apply). In a men’s barber shop the customers and barbers often talk together as a group. At Sports Clips you might get some small talk from your hair-​cutter but otherwise the customers are all watching the Sports Channel on the flat screens. My haircutter had minimum barbering skill and no artistry. There is no comparison to real barbering. Selecting the plastic gadget for your clipper is not a replacement for competence. A hot towel and a girl massaging your shoulders (for which you must pay extra) is not a replacement for all the little touches like ear, nose, and eyebrow trimming, scalp massage, shaving the sideburns and neck, and a good dusting off with powder and maybe some good-​smelling stuff. None of which you get from Sports Clips. A really innovative concept would be creating an old-​fashioned Italian barber shop.

Great place, great location. The barbers are great and the marketing model is great too. Costs as much as going to a Hair Cuttery or similar place but you get ESPN at the barber chair, hot towel, massage and a great hair cut. Definitely recommended.