The Grooming Guys Blog

The Grooming Guys Out List

The crew here at groominglounge.com likes to think we know what's in and out. Here's our take on some randoms whose time has passed.

1. Walking around with a bluetooth headset attached to your ear when you're not on the phone
2. Bragging about getting your car "detailed"
3. Making goofy gang-like hand signals while posing for group pictures (enlarge above photo)
4. Answering the phone by enthusiastically saying "yell-o"
5. Brandishing a toothpick in a non tooth-picking or photo-op scenario
6. Referencing a Seinfeld episode surrounded by the words, "did you see the the one where...?" (everyone saw every one)
7. The new celebration pro athletes do involving jumping up in the air and banging their sides or rears against one another (un-necessarily replacing the totally cool, classic and acceptable jumping chest bump)
8. Heidi & Spencer
9. Uni-sex group bathrooms (not novel anymore... just kinda' creepy)
10. Drugstore shaving cream

Stayed tuned for the Grooming Lounge "In" list next week.

Listen Up. Our First Podcast Is Here. Press Play!

Grooming Guys Podcast #1 – The 10 Immutable Laws Of Good Grooming
Press Play Below To Listen Or Download Here

Wanna' See Our New Joint In Atlanta?

The goal of this blog is make make you more handsome and more well groomed.  So, we're trying to determine how showing you a recent TV clip profiling our NEW Atlanta Grooming Lounge accomplishes that?

Oh yeah... you'll look at the Grooming Guys featured and pick up some tips.  You'll also see what our Grooming Lounge stores are all about and say to yourself... "I've got to get into one of those stores and make myself even more handsome." 

Mission accomplished.  Check out the below link from the Grooming Lounge Atlanta on CBS-TV:

Grooming Lounge Television -- Click Here!

Sore Teeth, No Cash & Homeless Guys With Our Tickets

Before we get any backlash, please note that this blog is in no way meant to demean the homeless or the plight they face.  It's a serious issue and although approached a bit off-center and not exactly pro-active this time, we recently did a bit to help a few of NYC's less fortunate look a bit better.

So the Grooming Guys are heading back to DC from NYC last week after a few days of meeting with editors to chat up our new Grooming Lounge Hair Care Solutions. Great trip and we were lucky enough to have sit downs with the who's who of the publishing world to review what our company is doing, our new products and the Grooming Lounge's view on the men's fashion industry as a whole.

Throughout the trip, one Grooming Guy was battling severe mouth pain, which later would be remedied by no fewer than three root canals (good times) and a healthy heaping of Codine. Anyway, that plays into the whole story as by the time sore-toothed Grooming Guy hits the NYC Train Station, he's a bit out of it.  After picking up the pre-purchased train tickets for the duo, sore toothed Grooming Guy stumbles somewhere and loses the train passes for both himself and other Grooming Guy. Crap.

Grooming Duo tries to get new ones printed, talks to customer service, re-traces steps, but to no avail. Turns out the only solution is to buy brand new tickets. That's no small price for a few guys trying to build a burgeoning business -- but with taking a bus out of the question and duties awaiting at home -- they dig in and buy brand new tickets. Root Canal boy complains the whole time both about oral pain and financial irresponsibility.

When it gets good is about 10 minutes before boarding when the Grooming Guys are paged (they used our real names -- not Grooming Guys) by Amtrak Customer Service. After snaking into the Customer Service office we are greeted by the Amtrak Representative and two guys who appear to be homeless and a bit out of their minds (mumbling to selves, not particularly fragrant). The following conversation ensues:

HOMELESS GUY #1: Are you Pirooz and Mike?

GROOMING GUYS: Yes.

HOMELESS GUY #1: We found your tickets and want to give them back to you.

GROOMING GUYS: Wow... thanks so much (hand extends to take tickets).

HOMELESS GUY #2: So how much you gonna give us for these?

GROOMING GUYS: You mean you're not just returning them out of the goodness of your heart to do the right thing? We would certainly give you a few bucks anyway.

HOMELESS GUY #1: Nope, they are $20 each if you want them back.

From there the Grooming Guys thrust hands into wallets only to find that between them they have $5 in cash. Both Homeless Guy 1 and 2 get angry looks and appear ready to walk away when:

GROOMING GUYS: You look like you could use a great shave.  In our bags we've got two Grooming Lounge Greatest Shave Ever Kits and two Grooming Lounge razors.  The retail on these is about $100 each and we've gotta get on the train.  Deal?

HOMELESS GUYS: If that's all you can do, OK.  How much do you think we can sell these razors for?

So we got on the train, returned the un-needed second tickets and made it safely to DC. Not sure what the moral of the story is, but thanks to those guys in NYC and hope you:

A) Got a great couple of shaves

B) Sold those razors for some dough.

Thanks for listening and for visiting www.groominglounge.com

How Often Do You Really Notice A Man's Shoes?

In one of the great movies of all time, The Shawshank Redemption, unfairly incarcerated Andy DuFrane escapes Shawshank Penitentiary wearing the Warden's Classic Wing Tips. His struts past the guards with footwear unnoticed because as he says... "how often do you really notice a man's shoes?".

While we agree with pretty much every philosophy of Mr. DuFrane's, we certainly take issue with his take on footwear.  Sure, you might not notice a guys kicks in the Big House, but in the big city it's another matter all together. Shoes say a lot about the gentlemen and can make or break a suit or outfit.

To that end, we sat down with our Grooming Lounge D.C. Shineologist (he brightens the boots of D.C.'s big shots), Mr. Clarence Nixon, to get his tips on how to purchase and take care of foot wear:

• GOTTA' BUY COMFORT: Of course they have to look good, but if they aren't comfortable, don't buy them. Rigid shoes will take their toll on your feet and will eventually gather dust in your closet.
• TREES OF LIFE: They don't cost a lot, but shoe trees can double the lifespan of your footwear. Buy several sets and pop them in your shoes whenever you aren't wearing them.  They will help keep the original form.
• ROTATE: You change your clothing daily, but few men change their shoes.  Get a shoe rotation going to keep style fresh and to reduce the number of shines needed.
• THE 7X RULE: Get your shoes cleaned/polished up at least once after every seven times wearing them. They need attention just like anything else.
• SOCK IT TO 'EM: Socks should match your pants... not your shoes. Clarence has seen this rule broken many, many times.
• COBBLE, COBBLE: A good Cobbler can do wonders for a favorite pair of shoes.  Before tossing a classic set, see if a real pro can simply replace the heal or insole.

Thanks for visiting www.groominglounge.com. Now shoe!

That's Quite A "Counter Offer"

We don't want to seem small time, but at the end of the day us Grooming Guys know that it's the details that make the difference. It's the little things our guests notice, or don't notice, that make us stand out and makes them tell their comrades they should give the Grooming Lounge a shot.

To that end, we've recently undertaken a slow and steady remodeling process at our flagship D.C. store.  Now don't get us wrong, this store is a beaut.  That said, it's a TITAN in the men's grooming industry, a store that is humming opening to close and has had its doors open for nearly six years.  That's a lot of haircuts, shaves, massages, business manicures and more.  And with that comes a little scuffing of the wood, nicking of the floors, scratching of the paint. The worn and weathered look just doesn't fit with our brand.

So, we're stepping it up in a bunch of areas over the coming months and step #1 was to redo our barber counters in the D.C. barbershop.  While wood has been there previously, we decided to put in black granite to upgrade the vibe and match the counters at our Virginia and Atlanta outposts.  That's where we ran into a problem (it's been fixed, so don't you worry).

Seems the people at the counter top joint (who won't be named unless they refuse to touch up the things they said they would), didn't think any of the following items were necessary when installing said granite:

• Covering the store to account for the massive amount of dust that comes with sawing a counter top.
• Neatly placing and replacing the bevy of items that rest on the counter top (hot towel cabinets, hot lather machines, barbicide jars).
• That if you bump a counter top into glass mirrors they will break and that it's pretty tough to cut a man's hair without a mirror.

Needless to say, it wasn't a pretty site when we opened Monday morning to dust, broken glass, no mirrors and worse.  But, as the true team we are, all pitched in and other than a few paint chips here and there (which will be fixed this weekend), the Flagship is looking better than ever.

Thanks for listening... and if you're reading this To-Be-named Counter tops, you're on four days notice.

Go groom yourself.

Will The Real Molton Brown Product Please Stand Up

The brilliant folks at Molton Brown have done it again.  A few weeks ago they introduced their latest innovations, a new lineup of hair care products for men.  Consisting of some shampoos, conditioners and styling products, these items continue the company's mission of introducing ahead-of-the-pack products with nature-friendly ingredients.  They also continue the company's history of introducing products with really odd names.

Just how different are these names you ask?  Test yourself below by I.D.ing the four actual Molton Brown products.  As for the others... we had a few extra minutes in the office:

1. Exploding Dragonfly Hair Pomade
2. Radiant Lili-Pili Hairwash
3. Refreshing Cumulus Cloud Hair Condition
4. Pure Tag-Ur-It Hair Puddy
5. Defining Caju Hair-Texture
6. Explosive Sammi-Dammi Balding Shampoo
7. Purifying Plum-Kadu Hairwash
8. Extreme Peek-Aboo Shampoo

Get answers to the above mysteries at the Molton Brown Brand Page.

Don't Rain On Our Parade. When Was The Last Time You Were In Men's Vogue?

The kind folks over at Men's Vogue showed their kindness (and great taste) by featuring the Grooming Lounge in this month's issue.  The issue, showcasing a shot of the great Daniel Day Lewis on the cover, takes a page to talk about the opening of our new store in Atlanta and makes reference to the "sense of humor" we try to bring to men's grooming. Basically, the article and the crew at Men's Vogue appreciated the fact that while we take great service and products very seriously, we don't take ourselves too seriously.  As they quoted us as saying, "we're helping men groom... not splitting the atom."

Anyway, wanted to take a chance to brag about this great piece and give you the opportunity to view it here.  Or, of course, you could spend a few bucks and grab a copy yourself.

And by the way, our Atlanta joint opened last Friday (nearly six weeks late). It's worth the wait though, as the place is beautiful and our team is top notch.  A special thanks to Nicole and Amanda, two of the most talented Grooming Experts on the planet, who made the move from our DC store down south.  Stop in and see them if you're in the area.

Grooming Lounge Atlanta To Open This Week

Grooming Lounge's first outpost outside the DC-region is ACTUALLY going to open this week.  We've passed inspections and aside from a few minor details, we are looking great to start making appointments for this coming weekend. We've got a first-rate team in place and the benefit, to you as our guest, of our huge delay is that our team is trained to a degree that you will not believe.  We mean, what else are you going to do when you're delayed for a month but train, train, train?

Anyway, this huge delay has been extremely stressful to say the least -- and in the spirit of that -- we wanted to list for you a few of the stress relieving/energy refreshing  products we carry that the Grooming Guys have been using as of late to take the edge off and keep our spirits up:

• Molton Brown Invigorating Bath & Shower Gel: Provides a little pick me up when you're feeling like "hey... this store is never going to open."
• Menaji 911 Eye Gel: Missing out on the holiday season and consistently missing targeted opening dates is enough to make someone, like us, lose sleep.  You'll look no worse for the wear with this.
• Ritual Nature Calls: The stress of opening a great new store is sometimes enough to make one #&%* their drawers.  This will help ensure it doesn't smell that way.
• Malin+Goetz Cannabis Candle: Rumor has it cannabis can relax a person.  Burning one in candle form can't hurt?

Take great care of yourself in ATL this week and call us at 404.467.7766 to make your appointment.

Good Service Is The Best Form Of Marketing

Got a call today from an extremely aggressive advertising executive representing a local DC media outlet.  He wanted the Grooming Lounge's ad dollars and when we politely declined, the hyped-up gent went as far as to question the GL's business and marketing strategy.

"Well just how exactly do you guys expect people to find out about your company? Don't you want to grow your business?" he queried. 

While we we're put off a bit by his delivery, it was actually a really good question and method of dumbing down the Grooming Lounge's overall business philosophy. You see, when it comes down to it, our entire business plan can be simplified in one insanely simple mission:

TO PROVIDE REALLY GREAT SERVICE

Yeah... it's that easy.  We know, believe and are beholden to the notion that if you offer great technical service (haircuts, shaves, massages, etc.), and quality products (stuff that does what it says it does and exceeds expectations) and provide both of these in conjunction with first-rate customer service (smiles, knowledgeable staffers, fast delivery), you've indirectly done the best ad campaign available.  We trust that if one guy comes in and is blown away with his haircut and the way he's treated, his recommendation to  friends is 10-fold better than any glossy ad.  Same goes for the on line customer who gets his order faster and packed nicer than expected.  Basically, do things the right way and let your customers (or guests as we call em') spread the word.

Make sense?  Do you care?  The reason it might be of interest to you is to realize that we depend on you to help us grow and the only way we can earn your trust, en route to having you as our best spokespeople, is to treat you right. To make you trust us, believe in what we do and in turn spread the gospel. Of course, surrounding and superceeding all that is the belief that men should always be treated like kings and get more than they are paying for everytime.

Not sure our "provide great service" mission statement would get us funded in the VC world or other, but we're sticking to it and like going at it oursleves at this time.  As for the slick ad pitch man, we didn't have the heart to ask him if he needed a haircut?