J.P. Kempt Barber Social

Raising the Barber

An Old-School Barbershop on Divisadero

None 5 Photos J.P. Kempt Barber Social
Meet Shorty Maniace.

With a name like that, this guy was born to barber you like you’ve never been barbered before.

And he’ll do it at J.P. Kempt Barber Social, a ’40s-style den of hair management owned by a master barber, booking appointments starting Saturday for its Tuesday debut.

Come Tuesday, or whatever day you look in the mirror and realize the infinitesimal growth spurt of hair since last check has suddenly rendered you unrecognizable, go here. Shorty’s a former New York guy whose calendar has said things like “Groom John Krasinski for GQ shoot.” So he can handle taking a little off your top.

You’ll be in one of seven decades-old porcelain Koken chairs, surrounded by all the marble and wood and brown liquor you would expect from a place like this. And while the ceiling fans laze in circles overhead, you’ve just got to lean back, talk about your feelings and get some combination of haircut, hot shave, beard trim and facial. (This is like a safe house for facials.)

You could also take over the whole place one night to have a beard-off with your friends before you go out, or stop by for a class on beard trimming.

The pop quiz is your face.

Vitals

J.P. Kempt Barber Social
351 Divisadero St
(at Oak)
San Francisco, CA, 94117
415-437-1300
website

Extras

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