When a man needs to get a haircut, he must go somewhere that can fulfill all the needs he requires. The atmosphere must be relaxing, the barber must be able to get the job done and it must be a place where a man can go and not worry about being a man.
"A barber shop, to me, is a place where I can go to look good and get a laugh at the same time," said Justin Dixie, a junior communication major. "It's not exactly like the movies, but it's still a place where I can go and do my thing and have a fun time doing it."
In Buffalo, there are a handful of places that meet these simple requirements, but there is one barbershop that reigns supreme to its competition. Located on the southern outskirts of the Queen City at 3240 Lakeshore Rd. lies the answer to all men's prayers - Taylor Mae'd Barber Shop.
"My shop is a perfect example of what a barber shop stands for and represents," said owner and operator Peter Trybus. "It's like the last place on the face of the Earth that a man can truly call his own."
At Taylor Mae'd Barber Shop, Trybus offers the perfect place for a man to come and relax and get his hair cut. From his old-school views to his new-school vibe, Trybus offers what every man wants - a place where you can't enter the door unless you "leave your lady at home."
"It's really no place for a woman, its a man's gathering place," Trybus said. "In a barber shop, I'm not forced to cut women's hair; I'm forced to cut men's hair."
Trybus, a barber for eight years, knows that shops like his own are a rare commodity and he holds that dear to himself.
"Many barbers are retired and there are only two schools left in New York State," Trybus said. "With chains and salons, some men just don't fall for it, and they come to the barber shop, which is sadly a dying breed."
Ethan Hirck, a Buffalo native, visited Taylor Mae'd Barber Shop and came back with a smile on his face.
"That barber shop is the definition of perfect," Hirck said. "You walk in, sit down in an old-school barber chair and read Maxim while you wait your turn. Once you are called up, for 12 bucks, you get a haircut that you can't complain about. While I get it done, I can either watch TV or talk to the barber, who seems like a great guy."
A great guy he is, who is truly passionate about what he does for a living.
"I truly love my job," Trybus said. "It's very stress free. If you don't like me, you won't come here and if I don't like you, I'll make sure you won't come back. I don't bring work home with me, nor does anyone bother me about something I've done wrong. It just has no stress to it."
Trybus plans on cutting until the day he dies.
"I plan on being a barber 'till I'm dead," Trybus said. "Most barbers live 10 years longer than most men, which is an actual fact, and they say it's due to that no-stress thing. Being a barber is a dying art, which you don't see much anymore. Most men who come here appreciate it for what it is, which is simply a men's barber shop."
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
