Astor Place - A New York Tradition

Astor Place - A New York Legend

In the East Village, in Manhattan, there is a barber shop that is a New York legend. It is a remarkable example of New York life � fast, crowded, and completely unlike anywhere else in the world.

"it's like a small one-man shop ... times 100 � it is in the heart of New York City after all."

Astor Place photo stor Place Hairstylist. It's one of a kind. If you try researching the Astor Place Hairstylist, the first thing that you will find is that there is no consensus about this shop. You will read that with 50 to 80 barbers, it is never crowded, and you will read about crowds lining up outside the door. You will read that it is a great barber shop, because you will get exactly the cut you want there; not shorter or longer than you wanted, and you will read that Astor Place is only suitable for wild, radical styles. Well here's an exclusive Buzztown report about this shop.

Astor Place Hairstylist is a barber shop. Yes, they cut both men's and women's hair, but if you want complex styles, perms, or coloring, Astor Place is not the place for you. They have female customers there (including some celebrities), but most of their customers are male.

When you read about a barber shop with over fifty barbers, you are likely to imagine a huge hall or haircutting factory, where you can see are barbers as far as the eye can see. Astor Place is not like that at all. Either by design, or just because it is located in an old New York building, the shop is not a single huge "barn". The shop spans three levels, and it is an irregular shape. This gives it some alcoves, which prevent it feeling too big. Of course, it is big, but it doesn't feel anywhere near its true size.

Outside the shop, on Astor Place, you can look at photos of their better known customers. You will see photos of actors, celebrities, and local personalities � all customers of Astor Place Hairstylist.

At street level, is the main entrance which takes you to the ground floor level. From there, you can also go upstairs to the upper level. Also at street level on Astor Place, are steps going down to the basement level. If you are after some of the wilder cuts, go downstairs. Great regular cuts may be found on all three levels.

Don't go into Astor Place Hairstylist expecting a country-town style barber shop. In fact, don't go to New York expecting anything country-town. This is The City. The shop is not intimate, or "olde-world", but it still looks like a barber shop - barber chairs, plain decor, tiles, and the hum of clippers.

Usually, there's no wait; sometimes you may have to wait 10 or 15 minutes, or even 30 minutes on an extremely busy Saturday. There is sometimes a line out the door � but the line moves fast. Astor Place is open seven days a week, and like most barber shops, weekends are the busiest time.

Another remarkble thing about this shop is the price. Haircuts start at $11.00 (plus tip, of course). That's cheap for New York. The price will vary depending upon the style. (Prices as of September, 1997)

The New York Access® book seventh edition (published by Harper Collins Publishers) says:

Considering all there is to do in New York, it may seems strange that watching haircuts has become a spectator sport on Astor Place, but look at the pictures in the window and on the walls of the far-out styles and you'll understand why. The prices are extremely low, too. (One of the signs in the window says they also do regular haircuts, but don't count on it.)

Here the Access book is wrong. Astor Place certainly does regular styles, and the barbers at this shop have a reputation for doing them well. Wild, conservative, flattop, traditional crewcut, or businessman's cut - Astor Place does it all.