SPONSORED- Some would consider a good, old-fashioned gentlemen’s shave and haircut to be a lost art. But Enrico Mariotti and his top-notch barber team, Kyle, Yan, and Abbas at The Land of Barbers on Graham Avenue can prove that this beloved tradition is alive and well.
Mariotti, the animated Italian owner of this old-school establishment, has been cutting hair most of his life. He started working in a barber shop in Rimini, Italy when he was 15 years old. After some time, he opened his own shop, which prospered during the years he traveled around Milan, London, Paris, Los Angeles, Miami and New York, styling the hair of models and celebrities for fashion weeks, interviews, and photo shoots. He has amassed quite the portfolio.
Mariotti settled in Brooklyn 8 years ago and felt the urge to go back to his roots by opening a barbershop like the ones he worked in when he was young, where a barber can really get to know the customers. Last July, when the shop opened, he fulfilled his dream in this intimate space just off the Graham L stop. Stepping into his shop gives one the sense of taking a step back in time. Everything is vintage and cozy. There are only 3 chairs in the shop, because Mariotti “doesn’t see his customers as numbers, but as people:” he wants to give everyone who enters this space a unique and wholly satisfying experience.
A typical shave or haircut consists of a warm greeting followed by a shampoo, face massage, and a drink of either espresso or Prosecco, depending on one’s preference. Mariotti only uses the best shaving and styling products, including Proraso and JS Sloane. If you don’t come into the shop knowing exactly what you want and need some guidance, you are in excellent hands. All of the barbers are expert at assessing which haircut or shave will look best on any particular customer, based on factors such as face shape and personal style. Each team member has been doing this for many years and has good intuition about these things.
In the coming months, Enrico has plans for the place which will make it all the more special as a barbershop experience. The shop will soon start selling “gentlemanly” items including flasks, bowties, suspenders, and fashionable socks. In the near future, Mariotti wants to start offering a bottle of Prosaro shaving cream with each haircut done during weekdays between 12pm and 5pm so you customers “take the experience home with you.” In the summer, the shop may even host outdoor haircuts once a week.
If you’re looking for professional hair cutting experience in an old-school barbershop setting, look no further than The Land of Barbers. You are sure to walk out happy.
The Land of Barbers is located at 422 Graham Avenue between Withers St and Richardson St. Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 12pm-8pm, Tuesday & Thursday 12pm-9m, Saturday 10am-7pm & Sunday 11am-7pm. Tel: (347) 384-2153