Getting Hooked on Shear Addiction
By Malachi Diaz
The scissors are Hattori Hanzo shears, known to be used by the top stylists in the world. The cost for one pair can be over a thousand dollars and they are extremely sharp. The precision is unparalleled, and needs to be — Brent is snipping just inches from my ears, nose, and jugular. I couldn’t be more comfortable. I’m getting a haircut.
Shear Addiction is an upscale barbershop and hair studio in Monterey, California. Bea Petty opened Shear Addiction in 2016 and this edgy shop has been updating the old school quality with a new school vibe ever since.
I’ve shown up at the exact time of my appointment and Brent, my barber, is outside and puts his mask on as I cross the street. Inside, the shop is immaculately clean and seems like a scene out of a Pinterest board for hipster barbershops. What would normally be a waiting area is a neat row of chic seats, spaced between metal buckets repurposed as small tables with cutouts holding magazines.
What you won’t see on the wall is the classic poster of a dozen simple mens haircuts, each numbered like a fast food combo meal menu. At Shear Addiction, you’re not getting just any haircut. Gone are the days of sitting in the barbers chair with your fingers crossed under the hair cloth hoping you walk away with something adequate. The barbers work with you, to create art together, not according to their own style, which they have plenty of.
The barbers here are craftsmen, and each have their own specialty. It doesn’t feel like these guys are rushing, because they’re not. They’re working on their craft, shaping, sculpting and shortening strands of hair with incredible precision. These barbers have the ultimate goal of having every person that sits in the chair, stand up looking and feeling better.
Their product line is top-notch. You might need some new products for your look and the staff is right there to help you. Shelves are neatly arranged with a variety of beard, shave, and hair products that are available in-store by Atlas Hair, Crown Shaving Co., Hair Evolution, Hanz De Fuko, Prospectors, and Schwarzkopf. Items can be purchased in-store or online for curbside pick-up or shipping.
This barbershop is doing everything right. Customer satisfaction is through the roof, their community engagement is outstanding, and an unmistakable feeling of belonging seeps into you when you’re inside.
Shear Addiction has gone through great lengths to adapt to the new normal. Shop talk happens through the masks that everyone is required to wear while indoors. When it comes time to cut around the ears, they’ll ask you to hold the mask in place with your hand. A full list of their new procedures and best practices is on the shop website.
They save the best for last. The finishing touch is a straight razor shave with a hot towel treatment that makes you feel like a king!
One of my favorite parts about coming here is skipping the traditional waiting times. The shop is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. They close early at 3 p.m. on Mondays and Saturdays. Closed on Sundays.
Convenient appointment scheduling is available through Booksy.com. It’s easy to reschedule if needed and will even send you a reminder the day before. Rules and requirements are on the shop site, including requirements like showing up at the exact time of the appointment, washing your hands, and conducting a self wellness check before you arrive. It’s things like this that really allow you to let your guard down, because these guys aren’t. Normally, they’d offer a drink; a beer, a glass of whiskey, coffee, tea, or water but COVID-19 restrictions prohibit it.
A haircut will set you back $45 plus tip, but you are getting more than you pay for in quality, no buyers remorse here. There are cheaper barbershops around, the average cost of a men’s haircut in the United States is $28 according to the Professional Beauty Association, but this shop isn’t for the guy that Googles “barber shop near me” and picks the closest one. It’s a quality price for a quality cut. Well worth it when you feel like a million bucks.
I highly recommend making Shear addiction your go- to barbershop. A well done haircut by shear artisans is a must. This is hands down the best shop I have ever gone to and it’s a habit I won’t kick soon. When you go to Shear Addiction, you’ll walk out the door looking as sharp as their scissors.
