A barber’s old fashioned

Did you know that each barber here at the shop can cut up to 10 guys’ hair — sometimes more — every day? With each cut taking almost an hour, that’s a lot of work. 

After a long day on our feet it’s nice to sit back, relax, and have a strong Old Fashioned to help reset for the next shift.

Here is my personal recipe that I like to kick back with after closing up for the night. Most Old Fashioneds use bourbon, and that’s totally fine as far as that goes. 

But for me, when I’m at home and want a quick drink that I know is going to be good, I go for rye. The hotter flavor keeps the drink alive a little longer than bourbon. It also does a good job reminding you that you’re drinking a cocktail. 

I prefer High West rye, but go with whatever tastes good to you (or whatever you have available). I also like to measure my bitters and simple syrup with a bar spoon to make it consistent. But as with a lot of things, build your cocktail to taste. 

Here’s what you’ll need:

2 oz rye 

1 dash bitters 

1 dash simple syrup

½ oz water

Add the simple syrup and water first, then add the bitters and stir together until everything is dissolved. Add the rye last. Serve on the rocks. 

Cheers. 

Logan square’s barbershop

Chicago is a big city with a lot of neighborhoods. Each neighborhood has several barbershops — including Logan Square, where we have been in business since 1968. 

Yes, Joe’s Barbershop Chicago has been around for more than 55 years, cutting hair for generations of men in Logan Square. Our little shop was established by (and named after) Joe Caccavella all those years ago, and well before Logan Square became the neighborhood it is today. 

As with a lot of the most important things in life, Joe’s comes down to family. From 1968 to 2010 Joe, Sr. ran the shop on his own (with the assistance of the other barbers he hired, of course). But in 2010, Joe Caccavella, Jr. earned his barber license and joined the shop full time. A few years later he purchased the shop from his father, keeping it in the family for a long time to come. 

But just because Joe, Sr. transferred ownership doesn’t mean he isn’t still around. Quite the opposite: he still takes walk-in customers four days a week in the same chair he has used since 1968.

Why is any of this important? Family run businesses are getting more rare these days, and 55 year old family run businesses are even rarer. Practically none of the businesses that were open in Logan Square when Joe’s opened are still around. But Joe’s is — and it is still in the family. 

That kind of institutional knowledge, longevity, and assurance of a job done the right way is extremely valuable when it comes to something as personal as your appearance. 

All of this is a long way of saying one thing: Joe’s Barbershop is Logan Square’s original, family-owned, barbershop. Stop in and see the difference for yourself.

how to maintain your hair cut

One of the questions we get the most at the shop is how often guys should come in to maintain their cuts, and we always have the same recommendation: six weeks. Anything longer than six weeks and the cut that you left happy with last time will look like a mop, and anything shorter just isn’t worth it. Like a medium rare steak, six weeks between cuts is the sweet spot to stay on top of your game.

Hair grows faster than you think, no matter how much or how little of it you have. In barber school (and the internet), they emphasize that hair can grow as much as 1 / 8 of an inch per week, or half an inch per month. So in six weeks your hair is growing back almost one full inch — which is more noticeable than you think, too. And if you wait eight weeks to come back for a cut, almost two months, your hair will grow back at least a full inch or more. 

But it’s not just the hair on top of your head growing back. It’s your sideburns, neck line, taper, and part. Everything needs to be maintained regularly to look your best. 

We understand that Covid made a lot of guys lose the motivation to get regular cuts. After all, if you’re working at home most of the time why bother to see us more than you need to?

But at Joe’s Barbershop Chicago, our philosophy is one everyone can relate to: “look good, feel good.” And it’s true, isn’t it? Who doesn’t feel better walking out with a fresh, professional cut? 

Making a habit of maintaining your cut will help you look cleaner — and feel better in the process, too. 

In the next post, we’ll talk about how to communicate with your barber to make sure you get the cut you want — and avoid something you don’t. 

In the meantime, book your next haircut at Joe’s here.