What's in a Haircut?
For the Michigan Daily
For some, it is all about efficiency: How fast can they get in and out of the chair? For others, it’s in the results: How much hotter do you look walking out? Some simply want to go to the barber whom they can get “the usual” from. As we find ourselves engulfed by the holiday season, many just want to look nice for their family and loved ones.
Until these last four years, my mom has given me every haircut, from my signature buzzcut at age 7 to the mullet I rocked in my senior year of high school. For most of my life, she has been my barber. When I moved out of my mom’s house to live in Ann Arbor, I not only moved out of my childhood bedroom, but I also lost my barber. So, like many other freshmen in fall 2021, I found myself lost searching for a barber.
At first, I had no idea where to go. I found myself bouncing around from salon to barber shop in a series of haircuts that were passable, but not exceptional. I resorted to asking people I knew where they were getting their hair cut, hoping that the person they were getting their curly hair cut by would be able to cut mine. However, it wasn’t until I stumbled across the Taylor & Colt website that I saw a barber who had curly hair like myself. So, I scheduled an appointment with barber Josh Caruso.
Caruso’s days start at 10 a.m. Monday through Friday. Additionally, due to the influx of people wanting to get a haircut before they return home for Winter Break, he comes in on Saturdays leading up to the holiday season. On Nov. 25, he had a full day with 12 clients.
Caruso was a student at Michigan State University when the COVID-19 pandemic forced the country to shut down. As a self-described “terrible student,” he knew online classes weren’t for him, so he went looking for other options. It just so happened that the Douglas J Aveda School of Barbering had recently opened up down the street from him. So, after some thinking, he decided that while college was online, he might as well give barber school a shot.
After passing his exams and graduating, he worked at Chenzo’s Barbershop in Sterling Heights.
“That was the spot,” Caruso said. “Great group of guys over there — really cool environment. I learned a lot from over there as well. It fueled my passion for this.”
Josh made the move from his old barber shop to Taylor and Colt to follow his now fiancée, Sabrina, as she studies dietetics and nutrition at the University of Michigan. Since then, she has graduated and is currently completing her clinicals. The two are saving up for their wedding next year. Despite his love for them, Josh has forgone buying new shoes in order to save money. He still wears all his favorites to work.
Michael Colavecchi, student at Michigan State University, drives to Ann Arbor to get his haircut from Caruso. He’s been making the drive to Caruso for two years, despite transferring to MSU from the University of Michigan.
In an interview with The Michigan Daily, he said, “Josh is the one person who every single time gives me a good cut.”
He joked that he almost made the drive down from Iron Mountain in the Upper Peninsula this past summer to get a haircut from him. This time, Colavecchi came to get a cut before his dad’s wedding.
One factor that often gets forgotten when looking for someone to cut your hair is being able to talk to your barber easily. My first time getting a haircut from Josh, the thing that stood out was his ability to have a conversation at length about pretty much anything. I sat down in his chair and ended up talking about the changing of the seasons, “Love Island (UK),” Lord of the Rings and football.
As the day went on, it became clear just how much genuine care Caruso has for his clients. It seemed like at some point in every appointment, they both would start cracking up from their conversation. When I asked Caruso what he found to be the most challenging aspect of the job, he told me it was time management.
“I don’t know if you can tell, but I like to talk. I love to talk. I love to get their opinions,” Caruso said. “I love having my clients in here but my job is a little contradictory because my job is to get them out of here.”
Each time someone new sat in the chair, it became clear that they liked talking to Caruso just as much as he liked talking to them. A few clients in a row talked about football for so long that he joked that the day was like a “football podcast.” It seemed like no topic was off limits to him and his clients. They talked about their personal lives, how work was going, their favorite anime, the best smoked meats, the price of rent and Mom’s apple pie.
After taking photos of countless clients, it was time for my appointment. It seemed only fitting to interview him while he cut my hair. For Caruso, the most rewarding part of the job is seeing the satisfaction of his clients with a smile when they turn toward the mirror. He went on to say that a part of the job he really appreciates is when he gets a new client as a referral.
“Hearing that I am being referenced outside the shop … that my impact is reaching multiple people,” Caruso said. “That’s always really cool to hear. It’s a really good feeling.”
