Barbers of the Month: Black Cat Barbershop
Barbershop: Black Cat Barbershop
Location: Cleaveland, Ohio, United States
Website: blackcatbarbershop.com
Instagram Handle: @blackcatbarbershop
How would you describe the vibe of your shop?
Our shop is a nod to the traditional shops of yesterday with our own modern flair. We’re lucky to have a good amount of space in here so we crushed the walls with good art/flash and put nine chairs on the cutting floor. Lots of jokes and good banter in the air. Tunes up and busy like a good barbershop should be!
What's your most popular haircut right now?
We do classic cuts all day but crops and short and messy have been a big hit post quarantine.
Tell us anything we don't know about Uppercut Deluxe products?
Goes in easy, washes out easy, holds tight or loose depending on what the client is looking for... what more can you ask for? Uppercut for life!
What's your favorite Uppercut Deluxe product?
Our big seller here is definitely Featherweight but a few of us here are partial to Easy Hold. Very different products, but both are so versatile. Personally, I love the low key hold of Easy Hold. It’s PERFECT for finer thinner hair, messy looks, and loose slick backs.
Who’s your favourite artist to spin in the shop?
Music can be a hot topic at Black Cat. We all definitely dig our own thing but most of the time it’s good ol fashioned ‘77 punk rock. The Clash, Dead Boys, Stooges, Heartbreakers..... you know... the good stuff.
What's your favorite style to cut?
Slick backs and boogies. We do side parts all day in here but love a good slick back with a high taper.
What’s the best tip for someone visiting the area?
Maybe we’re partial but our shop is located in the best neighborhood in Cleveland, The Gordon Square Arts district. Tons of good food and small business in the neighborhood. We’re 5 minutes from Lake Erie and 5 minutes from down town. A perfect day in Cleveland would look like this... Grab a coffee at Rising Star (the greatest coffee in the world), come catch a cut at the Cat, head to Larder for a powerful sandwich the size of your head, then mosey down to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and stand in awe in front of Paul Siminon’s smashed bass from the cover of London Calling.
Who is the shop’s biggest barbering influence?
Too many barbers to mention but some heavy hitters that have influenced us are Pugsly, Shane Nesbitt, Anthony Giannotti, Keith Cowan... I could list a page worth but those are some guys I really appreciate. No filter, no b.s, just solid traditional barbers doing clean haircuts.
What is your favourite shop (other than your own)?
Definitely our comrades from Columbus Ohio, Old Familiar! The best guys with mild drinking problems, haha. Close second being Handcrafted in Chicago Il.
