To trust or not to trust a new hairstylist? That is the question for many incoming college students.

When a person gets to a new city there are few places they need to find: a grocery store, a go-to lunch spot and where to get a haircut, said Doug Spangenberg, owner of Westcott Barber Shop.

Once people find a hairstylist they can trust they typically stick with them for years, Spangenberg said. But, when you’re hours away from home, traveling back and forth for a touch up isn’t always feasible.

“There is a lot of anxiety in finding a barber,” Spangenberg said. “I have kids coming in that have been seeing the same barber for their entire life. They’ve been getting the same boring haircut since they were 10 years old.”

Roughly half of Spangenberg’s clients are college students. When they’re in his chair for the first time, he tries to put the person at ease, keeping the environment relaxed and easygoing. Sometimes he’ll nudge them into going for a fresh style.

“New college, new you,” he said.

Westcott Barber Shop is only about a 15-minute walk from campus, but Spangenberg said he notices a significant dip in his younger clientele during the winter months. He said he hopes having ride-hailing apps like Uber and Lyft in the city will give his business a boost. People don’t want to take the bus to the barber, he said, but they are willing to take a cab, especially when it’s as convenient as using an app.

Diamond Cole, a sophomore public health major, agreed that ride hailing could sway students into visiting a new beauty salon or barbershop.

“Many people make trips to go back home to get their hair done,” Cole said, adding that students may be willing to go into the surrounding community to meet their beauty needs now that they have access to Uber and Lyft.

Freshman Mckenna Brower said she’ll stick to her home hairstylist, but added that she plans to find a spot where she can regularly get her nails done and eyebrows waxed. Although walking distance would be ideal, Uber is a welcoming option, Brower said.

Here are some salons, barbershops and beauty salons near the Syracuse University campus:

Collin’s Barber and Beauty Shop

Services: Curly haircuts, line ups and shape ups

Location: 309 S. Crouse Ave.

D & S Diva’s Den

Services: Roller set, silk press and quick weaves

Location: 4720 S. Salina St.

Garbo’s Salon & Spa

Services: Haircuts and color, manicures, tanning and waxing

Location: 732 S. Crouse Ave., above Faegan’s Cafe and Pub

Suni EyeBrowz Threading Parlor

Services: Threading, including full face, forehead, eyebrows, upper lip and chin

Location: First level of Marshall Square Mall, #116

Tony Christopher Hair Design

Services: Olapex hair coloring, unisex haircuts and professional makeup

Location: 131 Marshall St.

Westcott Barber Shop

Services: Haircuts, straight razor shave, beard trims and edge ups

Location: 713 Westcott St.

Published on August 23, 2017 at 4:03 pm

Contact Stacy: sfern100@syr.edu | @StacyFernandezB