11/3/2009 Review:

Occasional Hoboken411 guest contributor “JJ” submits his review of The Hoboken Man Salon, which opened up last month over at Maxwell Place.

The Hoboken Man – Guest Review

By JJ
“For a mile-square city, Hoboken is packed to the gills with good things, from the delicious pizza (Marisa’s and Grande, I’m looking at you) to a great record store that really sells records (check out the vinyl at Tunes) – And while Hoboken already has its share of salons, barber shops, spas and boutiques, there’s nothing quite like The Hoboken Man, which finally saw it’s grand opening last month.

Located at 1150 Maxwell Lane, and billed as “The Barbershop at Maxwell Place,” The Hoboken Man offers upscale grooming services for men. While they’re adamant that this is a barbershop, not a “man salon,” it certainly isn’t like any barbershop I’ve seen. But semantics aside, the place is absolutely gorgeous. This is not an old school barbershop, and no doubt about it, the services are high-end. But don’t think there’s any Waterfront Condo/Hoboken Yuppie haughtiness about it, because the staff are sweet as can be and the space couldn’t be any more inviting. There’s a beautiful, spacious lounge when you walk in with big comfy easy chairs, and every wall has a flat screen televisions (always tuned to news or sports). One wall has framed old-school playboy covers, and there’s coffee and refreshments as well.

The Hoboken Man offers haircuts and grooming (the standard cut starts at $39), shaving (hot towel, hot lather, straight razor), facials, manicures and more. Between the setting, the amenities and the little extras, the goal seems to be to provide not just a haircut but a full experience. To that end they also have some special deals and “membership” options that offer unlimited cuts throughout the year. Another nice idea is the father/son package that offers a kids cut (under 12) and an adult cut for one price.

Without a doubt, the place is beautiful, but do they deliver? I thought it might be a good idea to see what they could do with a bunch of different guys. So the staff gathered the men in their lives for a before-and-after photo shoot (included at end of gallery above). The idea was not to go for an extreme make-over or the usual photo shoot make-up, but for a more natural, clean, professional look that’s practical for any man. The guys looked great, and the results should speak for themselves. The models in these photos all had haircuts, shaves and various facial treatments.

The real test for me came this week on grand opening night, as they offered complimentary services to all their guests, so I took advantage of a haircut with Donna, one of their stylists. According to their website, all haircuts include a “consultation,” which at first seemed absurd to me, because I couldn’t imagine what we could possibly consult about–all I wanted was a simple cut, not an extreme make-over. But Donna (and I suspect the rest of the staff from what I heard) was thorough beyond thorough, asking what products I use, how often I have my hair cut, even what kind of work I do (to see if I had to be conservative for a corporate job or if I could have a little more freedom with my style). The shampoo included a nice relaxing scalp massage, there was a second rinse-out after the first cut, and the cut itself was great and exactly what I asked for.

I’d love to say The Hoboken Man is for everyone, but the reality is that’s simply not the case; some men will have no use for the high-end haircut, let alone a manicure or facial. But there’s nothing wrong with a little pampering, even for guys, and no doubt The Hoboken Man is the place for it. For more info including their menu of services and a link to their Facebook page, check out TheHobokenMan.com.

SEE PREVIOUS UPDATES AFTER THE JUMP…

9/25/2009 Update:

Man Salon aims for October opening

Here’s a quick construction photo update for the Hoboken Man Salon coming soon next to the (also coming soon) PNC Bank branch at 12th and Maxwell Lane. Hoboken’s only high-end salon dedicated for men, The Hoboken Man has everything a guy might want. Eight (or more) flat screen TV’s (and all the sports packages – they’ll be open 7 days a week), rich mahogany-like finishes, and more. You’ll even be able to purchase “annual subscriptions” that allow you to get unlimited haircuts and cleanups, etc..

If you’re at the Arts & Music Festival on Sunday – find their booth and say hello!

5/12/2009 Update:

Patience (and a good shave) is a virtue

The ladies (and men) at The Hoboken Man salon, which is coming this summer – wanted to update all the readers!

Set to be the premier salon for men!

The Hoboken Man, a full service salon for men, kicked off its promotional campaign recently at the Hoboken Arts and Music Festival. Despite the inclement weather, the salon’s stylists, estheticians, nail technicians, and management distributed service menus and had over 200 people enter their gift basket raffle.

“Nowhere in Hoboken can a man get a quality cut and shave in an environment designed specifically for him– that’s what we’re doing at The Hoboken Man,” said salon co-owner, Dan Hood. “From the positive feedback we got at the festival, this salon is something that Hoboken men need and want.”

Services offered include precision haircuts, custom color, straight razor shaves, deep cleansing facials, spa manicures and pedicures, and waxing. Clients enjoy complimentary beverages, newspapers and men’s magazines and while watching plasma TVs during their services.

“Think old-school barbershop with a modern, classy-casual twist,” says Heather Sarrecchia, the salon manager. “Our services are first-class, our prices are competitive, and our staff has the personality, knowledge and skills to meet the needs of the casual to the most discerning client.”

The Hoboken Man, scheduled to open at Maxwell Place (12th and Maxwell Lane) in late summer 2009, will feature products from The Art of Shaving, Dermalogica, and Label M.

As the opening nears, the salon will host a series of promotional events in Hoboken. Stay tuned to Hoboken411 to be notified about all salon events and promotions!

2/10/2009:

Some men might be better maintained this year

Guess what’s coming to 1125 Maxwell Lane?

A dedicated men-only beauty salon – The Hoboken Man.

Judging by their website – they offer the whole suite of possible services for men (that are legal at least.) From haircuts and color, to all sorts of waxing and hair removal, pedicures, manicures and more. Seems like they’ll have some sort of “membership” option for the seriously dedicated beauty-seekers (or should that be “manbership?”)

They hope to open up this spring – no word on how much these services will cost.

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