Question about the straight razor shave I said no to for 3 years

I used to turn down every hot towel straight razor request at my shop in Tulsa because I figured it was all show and no real money. Then my old mentor Ray showed me his books and he was pulling an extra $180 a day on shaves alone, mostly from regulars who came in twice a week. What changed my mind was watching him do a 20 minute shave with a Feather SS and a strop, no nicks, and the guy tipped $15 on top of the $35. Now I'm wondering if I should get certified or just buy a shavette and practice on balloons first, any of you run shaves as a real part of your menu?

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abby_scott27d ago

Did Ray ever tell you the real trick, which is that the shave is the loss leader and the money comes from locking in that twice-a-week slot? Think about it, a guy who comes in Tuesdays and Fridays for a shave is also buying a haircut, beard trim, and product from you all year. That steady chair time beats chasing walk-ins who show up once and never come back. So before you drop cash on a shavette and balloons, maybe track how many of your current regulars would actually add a shave to their visit, because a full book of loyal shave guys is worth way more than the $35 itself.

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