Barbershop.

My boy Brendan just opened up his own barbershop in the Lower East Side after leaving the fabled Astor Hair in SOHO, as fictionalized in tv shows such as Felicity and anything involving NYU students. For a guy, especially this guy, a haircut is either a bi-weekly routine where we get comfortable with either shaving ourselves or the guy who's taking a pair of scissors to our heads. Men are wired to stick to a routine, it's human nature. So when my barber left Astor, I had no choice but to go wherever he goes. The last time I changed barbers was back in 2004, which if many of you remember, which you do, was the year I grew my hair out to Ashton Kutcher's "That 70's Show" lengths. I just let it grow until I was comfortable with someone new. Alright...I'm on the verge of being maarte on the account of my hair; but c'mon, it's me we're talking about.

A barbershop is a place where cockiness is required for entrance into that sacred space. You don't even have to know the name of the guy next to you, even if you see him everytime you head to the shop. Stories of recent conquests...the scores from yesterday's game...the illest kicks...these are things that are essential when sitting waiting for your turn. Anway, Brendan's new shop is a venture he started with a few of his friends and they've come up with something that could be big.

Called the "Chop Shop", these fellas have carved out a niche that hasn't really been seen in NYC for a long time. It has the exclusivity of a high-end salon on Madison, but at the same time, it's street, though not hood. The walls will soon be adorned with pictures of barbershops from back in the day by the photographer who released the photobook "Back In The Days", Jamel Shabazz; while the speakers blast some old school funk from the late 70's. They've got customized fitted caps in a seemingly glass case in colorways that would match any BAPE hoodie. In the back, there's an office where they also run an underground magazine called "Frank". So this place is all in one...a place to get a cut; to chill; to network; to shop... It's got that old school vibe with a new school edge. And apparently they're slowly making waves as evidenced by talk of a feature in a future issue of Marc Ecko's Complex Magazine.

If you ever find yourself in need of a cut...go to the Chop Shop on Essex and Hester in the LES. Tell 'em JD sent ya...because that place is appointment only.