Artistic Flair

After moving to the Scripps Poway area, I have been looking for a place to get my hair cut closer to the business or home. I had previously had my hair cut in Mission Valley and La Mesa, but wanted some place closer.
I started looking at the various places on Unilocal.It is tough to find someone that I feel works well with what I am looking for and that I can trust. So let’s start with what I did not want:
1. Barbershop. I like the idea of the local neighborhood barbershop with those cool chairs, combs floating in bottles of mysterious green fluid. But I think they are better for a generic cut or a fade or flattop, no appointment needed, take the next barber kind of thing. Still, I would consider this, just not my first choice. Do they even do appointments? I hate to wait.
2. A female oriented beauty salon. Look, I am comfortable in my own masculinity… at least I think so. But I am not as comfortable in a place done up primarily in pinks with a line of women under dryers staring at me, the only guy in the place.
3. A salon that specializes in other markets or specialties. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but I don’t need hair removal or corn rows or extensions or whatever… I just want my hair done. And again, I am not as comfortable when I am the only patron that speaks english.
4. A generic hair cutting place. Now I like the concept of Great Clips or these kind of places and otherwise they seem to match what I am looking for… and I know you can request a specific stylist once you get to be happy with one. But reality is I don’t know that person’s schedule. It is a crap shoot once you first get there. And in the words of a good friend that owned one of these places… holy hell, it is hard to find a good hair cutter that is sane, not doing drugs/​drinking all the time, etc. I also don’t want to have to bring in a picture of my hair as it should look. Or explain how to cut my hair or what I like.
5. A salon that lists the prices as $ 55+ for a men’s haircut. There is a place across the street from my business that looks good, but I am a little taken aback at the + symbol. Does it just go up on a whim? WTF? And do I really want to spend that much every month on my hair? My inner cheap bastard says no. Even if I do like the massage and scented candles a little… :)
So… what to do? Finally a friend recommended I give Dennis Metivier a call. Said he was very happy with his cuts and Dennis is located in Poway right on Poway Road.
I called Dennis and he was very accommodating. Trying to work around my busy schedule and even offering to stick around the shop later if that was the only thing that worked for me. I made an appointment at 2:00pm the next day. At this time, Dennis was still in his old place behind the Irish Pub near Community Road, I have yet to see him in the new location. But I am looking forward to a better looking place.
Dennis promptly put me in a chair and got to work. He was willing to do a shampoo if I wanted one but happy to cut without one. No asking me what kind of cutting tools (yay). Just knew what to do. He asked me a little about my styling wants and said he would take a look at the hair the next time I came in after it grew out some and adjust to make it a more perfect cut next time.
He understood what I was looking for with minimal instruction and got to work. In the end, I spent just under 30 minutes in the chair. The conversation was pleasant, we discussed cars and restaurants and business. Dennis seems like a very nice and open guy that enjoys his work.
I did not even know what the charge would be, Dennis told me that a hair cut was $ 15. Wow. Nice. My inner cheap bastard was happy. I gave him a $ 20.
There is another person in the shop, a lady named Rene Kayser (858) 752‑0256. I think it is just the two of them.
I am very happy now knowing a place/​person to go to get my hair done. Someone that will remember me and do a good job at a fair price, where I feel like I am treated well and don’t have to wait. I don’t need more than that.