ASHLEY GAIE | STAFF WRITER

To many of us, male or female, our hair is important. The salons and barbershops we visit are not just a place of business but they are a part of our culture. Movies such as “Barbershop”, “Beauty Shop” and Chris Rock’s “Good Hair, Bad Hair” show how deep hair care is rooted into our communities.3

However, it is well known that good hair care is sometimes hard to find. Many of us are away from home so it’s difficult to find a place that you are comfortable with. Many times if you do find a decent shop, it’s not a secret, so it’s often crowded. I advise you to go beyond Western and Hillsborough St. If you aren’t happy with the shop you currently go to, you have the right to take your business somewhere else.

The main things to keep in mind when looking for a new shop are cleanliness, pricing, location, services and customer service. All of these will contribute to you becoming a frequent and happy customer. You should see how well a shop is kept before you let any clippers or combs near your scalp! Most shops list their pricing but it doesn’t hurt to ask. Also make sure they are familiar with your type of hair. If you’re natural, find a shop that specializes and helps their customers take care of natural hair. If you’re prone to those razor bumps at the nape of your neck, talk to your barber and make sure he/she understands that. You can also ask a stylist/barber about their past experience.

For those who are still searching for the barber with the perfect line up, or the salon that makes you feel like a “Dark and Lovely” model, relaxed or natural, here are some local shops that leave their NCSU customers satisfied with their service and prices within the Raleigh area.

Barbershops:

• The Groom Room

• College View

• Cost Cutters

• Big Will’s Barbershop

• Jone’s Barber & Style Shop

• Glenwood South Barberstudio

Salons:

• Les Do Hair

• Erlinas Latin Style

• Posh Hair Concepts

• Taji’s Natural Hair Styling

• Sunny’s Salon

• Yoyos Hair Braiding