“This is your grandfather’s haircut,” Dustin Foley, the tattooed and bearded owner of The Neighborhood Barbershop, says proudly. Pointing to a yearbook from the 1940s, he explains, “This is essentially our look book. The classic cuts that the guys in these photos were wearing are the foundation of what looks good on guys today.”
The space itself, located on West Broad Street in Falls Church, is decked out in vintage (but functional) barbershop equipment and fixtures, ads and artwork, much of which is from Foley’s personal collection. A small counter with Layrite pomades and grooming products feels like a set from O Brother, Where Art Thou? The shop is well thought-out, but it’s also decidedly no-frills—just good, clean cuts, beard trims and shaves—nothing more than $35.
“This is a place where we get back to basics,” says Jon Vidaña, who’s been working alongside Foley for years. Cuts and trims aside, he says, it’s also a place where guys can relax, shoot the breeze (although he chooses a different euphemism) and drink a cup of joe.
On that note, a loyal customer who’s driven in from the western suburbs voices his approval, and a new client who is leaving the shop looking like Don Draper seems pleased to have found his new go-to. www.theneighborhoodbarbershop.com