June 2014

FAITH & FAMILY I AGES & STAGES I DINING GUIDE

V’s Barber ShopWhere Traditional andContemporary Meet

44 • forsythfamilymagazine.com June Issue 2014 • 45

There was a time not that long ago, relativelyspeaking of course, when a young man’s trip tothe barber shop was a sort of rite of passage. It

represented that he was growing up, becoming a “littleman.” Before then, mom would always cut his hair andhe would look forward to the day when he could sit inthe big leather and chrome chair and listen to the barbershop chatter as his hair was groomed to resemble thestyle of someone much older than he was. This was aspecial time, indeed, and it’s not surprising, consideringthat, historically, a man’s visit to the barbershop hasalways been a very macho thing to do. That’s right, thebarbershop has always been a special place for men tobe men, do what men do, and talk about what men talkabout. As time has passed, the traditional barbershopshave slowly slipped away, like relics of a bygone era,and been replaced with salons that cater more to thefeminine sex. That’s why, to have one in your hometownis such a special treat. Then, if you are lucky enough toalso have one that looks and feels like the originalbarbershop style, but with contemporary updates that fitthe era we live in today, it’s truly a special find.

Lucky for us, we’re fortunate that on Knollwood Street inWinston-Salem there is such a place. V’s Barbershopopened its doors in April of 2013 and has beenproviding men in this area that special place thatreminds older gentlemen what it used to be like, andprovides younger gentlemen the opportunity toexperience their own rite of passage, just like in the old days.

Photos By One Shot Photography

V’s Barbershop – Where Traditional & C ontemporar y MeetBy A. Keith Tilley

June Issue 2014 • 4746 • forsythfamilymagazine.com

“Once you step inside V’s, you immediately know the difference. It is a nice place with a great ambience. A place you want to call ‘your

barbershop’—one filled with great aromas and lots of hot towels. Ofcourse, we are one of the few shops that offer old-fashioned hot lathershaves, shoe shines and even an awesome facial.”

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Adam Thomas is the owner of V’s and hecouldn’t be happier with the response he’sreceived from the community for his traditionaland exceptional service. One visit to V’s andyou’re hooked. It makes the experience of ahaircut or shave take on a whole new meaning.Adam didn’t start out in this business. Aftergraduating from high school and attendingGeorgia State University, he took a job withAmana Refrigeration and began a career thatwould span 15 years. Having grown up in thesmall town of Austell, Georgia, a suburb ofAtlanta, and gone to the local barbershop as achild, he always had fond memories of that timein his life. Then, in late 2012, Thomas states, “Iwas semi-retired and looking for a newopportunity and learned of this franchise.” Itincorporated all the things he rememberedfondly as a child and more. “Once I found this, itreminded me of days gone by, when I went tothe barber shop with my dad, and that was a guything to do. It was cool to me then, and still istoday.”

So he opened up his shop at 380 KnollwoodStreet in Winston-Salem and gave it his ownpersonal flair. Thinking of the features he likedbest in his own experiences, he wanted toincorporate those unique and special touches,making his shop not just traditional, but a stepabove. You feel it as soon as you walk throughthe doors. History, combined with a touch ofextravagance and bonus amenities, that let youknow immediately you’re in for a treat.

As you enter the shop, you immediately noticethe black-and-white diamond-shaped flooring.The walls that surround you are classicallypainted in emerald green and taupe on top, andaccented with a brick veneer below, with darkwood trim. They're adorned with a wide variety ofenduring photographs of various sports legends,like Johnny Unitas, Joe Namath, Bart Starr andTerry Bradshaw. There’s also a renowned picturetaken of one of the famous Muhammad Ali andJoe Frazier bouts; baseball legends, includingBabe Ruth; basketball highlight photos and toomany more to mention. Local favorites WakeForest and Winston-Salem State are wellrepresented on the walls, along with UNC andDuke. The lighting includes classic chromefixtures with green shades and old-style ceilingfans that provide a gentle cool breeze fromabove. No less than five flat-screen HDtelevisions hang on the walls, allowing eachpatron to see just what they want to see. Note foryounger customers: they even show age-appropriate cartoons to keep them entertainedduring their experience. Each station consists ofcherry wood with granite tops, complimentedwith plush, thick, rich leather barber chairs withchrome accents and footstool attached. Nodoubt, this is even better than you rememberedit being in the old days. Everything about thisplace speaks of class and casual elegance, evendown to the soft, contemporary jazz music thatsurrounds you, the burgundy capes

emblazoned with V’s insignia and theold-fashioned red-white-and

blue-striped barbershoplight that hangs on theback wall. Thomasdescribes it thisway: “Once youstep inside V’s,

you immediatelyknow the difference. It is

a nice place with a greatambience. A place you want to call

‘your barbershop’—one filled with great aromasand lots of hot towels. Of course, we are one ofthe few shops that offer old-fashioned hot lather shaves, shoe shines, and even anawesome facial.”

Thomas adds, “We are fortunate to have a greatstaff of both male and female Master Barberswith many years of experience.” And theirservices are second to none, including haircutstyles ranging from traditional to the latesttrends, and a complimentary hot lather neckshave and relaxing shoulder massage to top offthe experience. They have individual andpackaged services that include shampoo,straight razor shaves, beard and moustachetrims, facials and facial massages, and shoeshines. There’s even a Big Day package forgrooms and groomsmen that includes many ofthe services mentioned and completes theexperience with a complimentary cigar. They useonly the finest products like American Crew, TheArt of Shaving, Jack Black, Lucia Bay and more.You can make an appointment, and walk-ins arealways welcome—after all, this is your personalbarber we’re talking about here.

Now, as for the experience itself, that’ssomething you’ll have to try first-hand. But I cangive you a little taste of what it’s like. If you havenever had a straight razor shave, then you simplymust give it a shot. The process involves firstpreparing your skin with the hot towels Thomasspoke of earlier. Next, a variety of differentsolutions are applied to the skin to both softenand prepare it for a clean, close shave. After the

shave, more hot towels are applied to your faceto clean any remaining shaving cream andresidue from the surface. Then, more delicateskin solutions are gently rubbed into the skin tosoothe the surface while cleansing the pores andproviding a soft, relaxing facial massage at thesame time. Finally, one last hot towel is appliedto cleanse off any excess, and you finish up witha cool towel to close the pores—and, quite

frankly, wake you up from your experience! Youawaken from this peaceful, relaxing experiencefeeling refreshed and ready to take on the rest ofyour day. Imagine, with that type of remarkableexperience from the shave, just how calming andtranquil the full facial would be like. Having arough morning? Try calling ahead andscheduling a shave or facial during lunch torelieve your stress and prepare you to take on theafternoon with renewed enthusiasm. It only takesabout thirty minutes, and it can truly make yourentire day, believe me.

V’s celebrated their one-year anniversary inApril, and it is a milestone that Thomas sincerelyappreciates. “We have been very blessed andhave had the opportunity to serve over 1800clients thus far, and we’re always looking towelcome new customers.” Reflecting on the pastyear, Thomas says, “I have always enjoyed retailand the interaction with people. We get to meetsome great people and get to know them andtheir families. We look forward to watching thekids we’re servicing now grow up to besuccessful in their own right.”

V’s Barber Shop also received some very specialrecognition in their first year when they wereannounced as the official barbershop of theWinston Salem Dash. V’s has also partneredwith the Dash in their “Dash for Cash” program,

where one lucky fan will win $10,000.

When asked what Thomas is hoping for in theyears to come at V’s, he shares, “We wantpeople to walk away [from their V’s experience]thinking they got a great haircut or shave at a fairprice, and think V’s is a great barbershop! Wewant them to enjoy the experience enough thatthey tell all of their friends. That is the greatestcompliment we can receive.” He ended hisreflection on this first year by expressing hissincere gratitude to all his customers that havehelped make this year such a tremendoussuccess. He added, he looks forward to seeingthose same friendly faces, along with many newones, in the years to come.

If you haven’t had the chance to experience V’sBarber Shop at 380 Knollwood Street inWinston-Salem yet, I recommend you give it atry. You’re sure to come away with a great haircutor shave, a genuine sense of nostalgia, and newfriends in the process. Now that’s the way it’ssupposed to be.

To learn more or schedule your appointmentonline, visit their site at vbarbershop.com, or

give them a call at (336) 245-8461. Evenbetter, just drop in to say hello; they’re always

glad to see you!