A LITTLE OFF THE TOP a study of public typography by sarah pickert
BARBER SHOPS ON MASS S 2
STREET A Little Off The Top: A Study Of Public Typography
TA B L E OF CONTENTS 4
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Introduction
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Larry’s Barber Shop
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Downtown Barber Shop
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Rex’s Barber Shop
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Closing A Little Off The Top: A Study Of Public Typography
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before we begin
A s a w o m a n , entering a Barber Shop is a pretty in-
would rather go into work and mingle with their long-time customers all day than relax
timidating experience. It is apparent from the moment
and enjoy the retired life. Also, the men who work in Barber Shops seem to be mas-
you walk through the doors that the decor and typefaces
culine and confident. This is so different than then men who work in salons, cutting
are heavily catered towards men. As they should be. It is
women’s hair and gossiping all day. No, the men who work in Barber Shops want to talk
a masculine profession to become a Barber and typical
about sports and make inappropriate jokes. They reminded me of the uncle everyone
only men go into Barber Shops to have their hair cut or
has who seems always walks on the edge of what is appropriate and what is not.
beards trimmed. The history and tradition of the Barber Shop is also on display. The workers are proud to have been working in the trade for so long and their work seems to define them. They’re the type of people that
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L A R RY ’ S BARBER SHOP
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The front entry of Larry’s Barber Shop is littered with type. From the leather jacket embroidery to the business cards; the type almost hits the visitor upon entering the door.
f irst impressions
E n t e r i n g L a r r y ’ s B a r b e r S h o p it is apparent that the shop is family owned and operated. There is no hint of mass consumerism anywhere and Larry himself was working. It is one of those places you walk into and instantly feel comfortable. The stadium seats and autographed black and white photos give the aroma that the shop has been around for years and years and yet the only thing that has changed is the hairstyles. The type in the environment was subtle yet fitting. It brought depth to the space and another layer of individuality.
A Little Off The Top: A Study Of Public Typography
cutting it close
L a r r y ’ s B a r b e r S h o p had a lot of handmade
wasn’t as crowded as some of the other shops and there
labels and handwritten signs. Larry seemed proud of
was a purpose and place for everything in the store. It
the work that he had made and boasted in his letter-
also seemed like if I had asked there would have been a
ing abilities. The type did seem a little out of place in
ten-minute story behind every single element.
some areas. There is a stark contrast between the beautifully autographed baseballs
“I’m an old fart”
and the Jimmy John’s wrapper on the floor. For being such a masculine place, the handwritten type was relatively feminine which came as a shock to me. The shop
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— Larry
Both images taken at Larry’s Barber Shop. Lettering done by hand.
Larry’s B Larry is apart of a biker gang that stands up to child abuse. Larry cuts hair for people of every age from 80-year-olds to children coming in for their very first haircut.
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Sports caps aren’t the only head wear you will see hanging in this barber shop. There are also caps from various wars and platoons Larry served in.
Barber Sh a cut above the rest
I c o u l d s e e w h y people would want to visit Larry’s Barber Shop. The homegrown, comfortable environment is both inviting and relaxing. It seems old, but in the best way possible, like a favorite pair of worn-in jeans. The typography in the space was no exception, the handwritten type and the type that was found on signs or hats all seemed to have an aged quality. The fonts varied between sans-serif and serif along with weight and color. The only thing the typefaces truly had in common was that they all seemed to have a layer of dust or age on top of them. I think one large reason people want to visit Larry’s Barber Shop opposed to other shops on Mass is because of Larry himself. He has an infectious personality and you can’t help but laugh every time he cracks a joke.
A Little Off The Top: A Study Of Public Typography
There’s “ T here’s only two, true, barber shops on Mass...”
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s only two
A Little Off The Top: A Study Of Public Typography
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history of barber shops in America
On December 5, 1887, the Journeyman Barbers International Union was formed at its first national convention at Buffalo, New York. In 1893 Mr. A. B. Moler also published the first text-book of barbering. “The Moler Manual of Barbering.� In 1897 the first barber license law was passed in Minnesota. On November 19, 1924, the Associated Master Barbers of America was organized in Chicago, Illinois, through the leadership of Louis E. McIlvain. On October 19, 1927, the National Association of Standardized Barber Schools was organized at its first convention in Cleveland, Ohio. On October 21, 1929, the National Association of State Boards of Barbers Examiners was organized at its first convention in St. Paul, Minnesota. In 1925 the Associated Master Barbers and Beautification of America established the National Education Council, whose purposes were to standardize school training and to uplift the art of barbering.
A Little Off The Top: A Study Of Public Typography
D O W N TOWN BARBER SHOP
f irst impressions
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T h i s B a r b e r S h o p is quintessential barber shop.
ment or around something. One thing that surprised me
From the black and white tiled floor to the sports mem-
off the bat was how much KU memorabilia the shop had,
orabilia. Entering the door, I was struck by the sheer
and how even though KU hardly ever changes it’s brand
amount of stuff crammed into the space. I was also in
identity, there seemed to be 100 different typefaces plas-
awe of the amount of typefaces. Every corner of the Bar-
tered onto jerseys and hats and Jayhawks. There was no
ber Shop had a different typeface peeking out of an ele-
area that allowed for a visual break in the madness.
Downtown Barber shop is owned by the Mayor of Lawrence and has regulars who come in every week. The shop looks like something right out of a movie.
A Little Off The Top: A Study Of Public Typography
cutting it close
U p o n c l o s e r i n s p e c t i o n of some of the elements I found a good mixture of old and new. The typography on some things like the ribbons and money and old paper bags gave life and hope to an otherwise sports laden arena. The type on some of the elements on shelves and hanging on walls gave a sort of history or timeline of graphic design. I saw everything from old beer cans to old Wheaties packages. It was interesting to see how design and typography have changed over time not only in sports but also in things like packaging. It is funny how almost all of the typographic elements that intrigued me so much actually had nothing to do with Barber Shops.
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A Little Off The Top: A Study Of Public Typography
26 Classic barber poles like tihs one can be found at all three barber shops on Mass Street. Downtown Barber shop sets itself apart from the others it’s classic decor.
a cut above the rest
I f I w a s s o m e o n e who had my haircut at Barber Shops then the reason I would go to Downtown Barber Shop is because of the vintage atmosphere. It genuinely felt like I was stepping back in time when I entered the shop. I think the amount of typography was a little overwhelming, but at the same time it added to the idea of the shop owners collecting the stuff for years and years. The type screamed old barber shop and was a little bit over the top. However, overall the atmosphere was inviting and unique.
A Little Off The Top: A Study Of Public Typography
“ I’m not the manager, I’m the owner, I’ve never managed anything in my life.”
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Countertop at Downtown Barber Shop
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interesting facts about barber shops The word barber comes from the Latin word “barba”, meaning beard. In early ages, beards signified wisdom, strength, and manhood. A barber’s razor was mentioned in the Old Testament. God instructs the prophet Ezekiel to “take a sharp sword and use it as a barber’s razor to shave your head and your beard”. Barbering is one of the oldest professions in the world. There are tomb paintings from ancient Egypt that show a barber cutting hair, along with relics of razors nearly 6,000 years old. The oldest surviving barber shop in the world is Truefitt and Hill in London, established in 1805.
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REX’S BARBER SHOP
f irst impressions
W h e n I v i s i t e d Rex’s Barber Shop it was apparent from the moment I walked in the doors that this was the type of Barber Shop customers went to time after time. The place was packed with people and also packed with typography. The window of the shop had a window painted logo that had been hand lettered in a chunky cursive font. All of the typefaces found in the space seemed overtly masculine.
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The type on Rex’s barber shop was done with glass paint and the word stadium has a barber pole as the “i”.
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cutting it close
E v e r y w h e r e y o u t u r n there is another typeface staring you in the face. From slab serifs to cursives to signatures the walls were packed with fonts. It was very interesting to stand in the space and take it all in. The fonts seemed to mirror the different type of men that were in the shop. Everyone looked different and came from different backgrounds but all came together in one space to get their hair trimmed. The typography was very fitting of the space and environment.
A Little Off The Top: A Study Of Public Typography
a cut above the rest
the other Barber Shops on Mass. There was a certain type of buzz surrounding the shop. The people visiting seemed perfectly contempt with the haphazardly placed type and the quickly written notes posted on the TV and refrigerator. The typefaces were relaxed, similar to the customers in the shop.
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The type is quite varied in Rex’s Barber Shop.
Rex’s Barber Shop that seemed livelier and more upbeat than
There is a range of serifs and sans-serifs.
T h e r e w a s s o m e t h i n g about the environment of
A Little Off The Top: A Study Of Public Typography
“ I ’m from Missouri, you might not want to take my picture...”
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history of the barber pole
The red and white pole outside barber shops references a time when barbers were expected to perform bloodletting and other medical procedures to heal the sick; red represented blood and white represented bandages. “Barber surgeons� in Rome also performed teeth extraction, cupping, leeching, bloodletting, surgery and enemas. However, today’s barber poles represent little more than being a barber shop that cuts hair and does shaves.
Barber poles have actually become a topic of controversy in the hairstyling business. In some states, such as Michigan in March 2012, legislation has emerged proposing that barber poles should only be permitted outside barbershops, but not traditional beauty salons.
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in conclusion
T h i s p r o j e c t o p e n e d m y e y e s to how di-
A large part of this project took place outside of the
verse type can be in one space. The type found in barber
computer. I thoroughly enjoyed going into the shops
shops is quintessential America. From the handwritten
and talking to the owners. The people who worked their
notes to the typed out signs the information displayed
truly had stories to tell. There was something interesting
in these spaces teach us a lesson about history and the
about putting myself into a different environment and
ever modernizing fad of cutting hair. It is ironic how of-
learning about type in a more three-dimensional setting
ten trends change, however, much of the type in these
that made it more exciting and fun to then translate that
barber shops have remained timeless.
aspect into the book.
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A Little Off The Top: A Study Of Public Typography
Credits
http://webpages.charter.net/bobbyrutledge/History%20Of%20Barbering.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barber%27s_pole https://booksy.net/blog/us/barbers-interesting-facts/ Special Thanks to: Downtown Barber Shop, Larry’s Barber Shop and Rex’s Barber Shop
Typefaces: Filson Soft, Utopia Std, Lust Script Photos taken with a Sony Alpha 6,000 Designer as Author, Patrick Dooley, Fall 2016, The University of Kansas.
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