Persons of Interest

Ross understood exactly what I needed. I have immediately recommended him to everyone I know and hope you too will have the good fortune of ending up in his chair soon.

Love this place, and Kathleen is the best. The price is great, and I always leave feeling good. I have short hair, and am wanting to grow it out. Kathleen is helping me through the stages of shaggy without feeling like I have that awkward growing-​out-​your-​hair thing that I’ve heard rumors of.

Worst haircut ever. Stylist ignored every request i made and did what he wanted to do. I am embarrassed to walk thru the streets with this cut.

This joint is TAF.
I booked my appointment two days prior, came in drank a couple-​a-​coldbeers and in twenny minutes I was looking fresh AF. Ben cut my hair and he’s on point. So is the price. Coming from San Francisco where the real trendy joints charge $ 50-​$ 60 and leave you looking like the cast of Boardwalk Empire, this place is refreshing.
Granted if you want a quick fade or an edge up, yeah maybe go to your lokie barber and get it done for less. If you have real hair on your head and want to look good, go here. Or don’t, less wait for me next time ;)

When I found Persons of Interest, I was basically in a full-​blown panic – I had a shaggy mess on my head, a big job interview the next day, and another barbershop had just completely screwed me over by canceling my appointment at the last minute. Fortunately, despite being fully booked for the evening, Kathleen at POI came to the rescue and squeezed me in.
Kathleen was able to translate my vague and scattered description of what I wanted/​needed into an amazing haircut, was excellent at communicating as she cut, and was utterly meticulous and unhurried even though they were about to close. I’ve been back twice since and seen other barbers there (since Kathleen was booked); Andy and someone whose name I unfortunately didn’t catch (I think he had a French accent?) were both great as well. Friends and acquaintances keep telling me my haircuts look fantastic, so while $ 42 (before tip) is more than I’m used to spending at a barbershop, it seems like it’s worth it!

This place is amazing! I’ve gotten my haircut here a couple of times now and every time I have great experiences. The staff is very friendly and professional, but Mike in particular. He’s skilled with both clippers and scissors. I highly recommend him to anyone. I walk out feeling great every time and always get tons of compliments. I’ll definitely be coming back!

I give POI 4 stars for Andy Starkweather’s cuts and organic hair products, and the great music and reading materials. Minus 1 star because, as other reviews pointed out, SOME of the front desk guys are d-​bags (I can think of two specifically) but your interaction with them is brief.
The barbers are all skilled, knowledgeable and friendly.

Loved loved loved POI the people, the mural, the drinks, the magazines. Best Barbara Shop ever! Thanks again.

I have been going to Persons of Interest, drawn in by Andy Starkweather who was recommended to me for gosh maybe 2 years? Longer? We have great conversations while he gives the perfect cut each and every time. I would go to no other barber. And I really like the vibe at Persons of Interest. And guess what? I am a 67 year old woman. Can you beat that?

Ask for Andy! Seriously! I’ve never, I mean this, never, ever received a bad haircut from this man. Consistently stellar experience every single visit. When I see an unimpressed Unilocal review for POI, I think, «They must not have had Andy. Too bad for them.»
He’s been cutting my hair for over 5 years. I followed him to a this barbershop. I’d make trips out of state, if he ever left. I’d go to someone else, if he wasn’t the absolute best. But he really is. Time and again. I go in feeling shlepy, and leave feeling gorgeous.
He’s taken me through every style along the way. From super long and flirty, to severe long modern bob, to page boy flapper, to my current fave, the Mia Farrow pixie. Without coaching, Andy always gives me the style I didn’t know I wanted. That flatters my face. Brings out my eyes. It always looks fresh. You walk out looking fantastic.
Strangers stop me in the street. Grab me at the gym. Stop me on the subway… «Who does your hair?»
Me:“Andy! At Persons of Interest on Smith street. In Brooklyn. I know?! He’s a genius.“
Plus, he’s a wonderful person. I send everyone I know. My best friend, my roommate, my husband. You. If you want to turn your day around, your week, your month, hell your year… give Andy a visit. I’ll give him credit for the positive direction my life began to move in after one of his sensational hair cuts. He’s the real deal.
He simply knows how to make everyone look their absolute best. Andy. What’s not to love!

POI advertises $ 25 buzz cuts on their menu, versus a $ 40 regular cut, but I haven’t figured out how to actually get a buzz cut here and be charged for a buzz cut. Tried twice, overcharged twice, not gonna try again.
The first time, I figured it was a misunderstanding, paid the $ 42 without complaining. The second time, I asked the receptionist pointedly, «It’s $ 25 for a buzz cut, yeah?» He confirmed, yeah. When the barber asked what I wanted, I said, «I want a buzz cut. #1 on back and sides, fade to top, top only needs trim.» He took more time on it than I’m used to, which made me suspicious (and it came out looking a bit too sculpted for my taste – just because I’m a girl doesn’t mean I need it fancy, just give me the cut I ask for).
And sure enough, when I got rung up, it was $ 42 again. So I asked, «What do you-​all consider the difference between a buzz cut and a regular cut?» And the receptionist dude looked kind of confused, and said, I quote: «Well, a buzz cut I guess is like, buzzed shorter, and… well, it’s kind of at the barber’s discretion.»
AT THE BARBER’S DISCRETION. A $ 15 difference in price is AT THE BARBER’S DISCRETION. Uh, no thanks. I don’t patronize businesses who do false advertising. I’ll stick to the $ 15 cuts at the barber in Columbus Circle. They don’t have hip music, but the cut is at least as good and costs appropriately.

I’ve had some good haircuts here over the past few months and don’t think $ 42 is too steep, though it would be nice to get a wash.
Having said that, my time with POI is coming to an end and it’s not because of the cuts. It’s down to the guys that sit at the front desk or more importantly, their attitude.
I made an appointment earlier this week only to find out two hours before that it was never booked (when I was told otherwise on the phone). Mistakes happen, I get it, but things like this happen on a regular occurrence here with absolutely no effort to rectify the situation.
I guess the reason they give out free beer is so the customer gets drunk enough to not realize what awful service you receive from the front of house.

I had been going here for a few years for a $ 42 plus tip haircut that was fine. The last year or so I just had a few attitude or annoying tone-​type experiences with the front desk dudes and then a bad haircut most recently sent me to a new barber for my early summer cut.
I don’t want to promote another spot and come off sheepish, so I’ll just leave it at this: I found a spot on 5^th ave in north slope that was $ 16 for the same exact scissors on top 3.5 clipper on the side do. I walked into this non hipstery spot a little nervous that they wouldn’t know how to do a cool textured short cut and that the attitude and free seltzer/​beer is all part of the deal of getting a good cut. Really glad I took my chances, I have to say it’s better than the last 3 or 4 cuts I got at POI. I found a guy and a place which are reasonably priced but also no attitude and pretension.

I was honestly was shocked at how bad the hair cut I got was. The stylist was recommended when I originally made the appointment. All I wanted was a good fade. What I got was the worst fade I ever had. I would never go and complain about a business like this especially since the stylist was very nice but I didn’t pay for a conversation so this review is specifically about the haircut. when you charge $ 42.00 a fade you better have a great barber that will give you the cleanest fade. The fade was uneven and I had lines all over the place. I watched other stylists that day and I did not see any customer come out with a well done hair cut. I’m no barber but I’ve had enough haircuts in my life to know good work. This place has a good idea with the music and beer cooler but to charge $ 42 for a hair cut you need to have great barbers that pay attention to detail and do more then just know how to talk.
Fade was so bad I wouldn’t even come in if they offered me a free cut. I should have listened to all the other bad reviews.
To persons of interest: if you wanna continue ruing your brand then keep doing what your doing, if you want to save it then get your stylists to pay closer attention to detail on the actual cut. Maybe the owner should start watching the actual finished cuts and see for themselves what is going wrong to make customers write bad reviews.

Had been intrigued by POI ever since they opened but was hesitant to try them. Thought I was pretty happy with my long time cutter. Thought the free beer hipster man cave thing might be a gimmick and that the haircut would be amateur. Thought maybe they’d force me to get the Boardwalk Empire!
I should have started going here long ago. I get nothing but compliments on my hair now. There are no off-​putting vibes and no attitude. Good music, free beer, great cut every time. I go early on purpose just to chill and get a beer buzz going.
And if you’re unwilling to pay $ 40 for that, then you’re probably not going to bother with a place like this in the first place.
Last thing: if you really want to treat yourself, get the old fashioned hot towel shave. You’ll feel like a million bucks.

I’ve been going to Persons of Interest since I moved to Brooklyn about 6 months ago, and yes, it’s a little more expensive than some other barber shops, but the experience makes it worthwhile.
The shop is nice but casual and comfortable to hang out in while waiting for my cut. The periodicals are kind of weird, but there’s always something interesting enough to look at for the pictures. Sometimes I’ll grab a drink, sometimes I don’t. Most importantly, I’ve always been pleased with my cuts from Tony. He’s not the fastest barber in the world, but he pays attention to detail and really seems to give a shit about making sure this is a good haircut. He has also recommended TONS of great restaurants in the area. Trust him, he knows his shit.
The low reviewers here seem to have two major beefs with this shop. They either criticize it because they feel like it’s too «hipster» or they are unhappy with the price. Well, I’m not hipster at all, I don’t have tattoos or skinny jeans, and people at the shop have only been welcoming.
If it costs too much, then just go to a cheaper barber and get a cheaper haircut. What else can I say? For me, it’s worth paying a little bit extra and enjoying the experience at this laid-​back and friendly new-​school/​old-​school barbershop and knowing that I’m going to have a good cut every time.

I like Persons of Interest. They meet my niche, and that’s crucial when you live in a city where every other subculture and variation of belief and behavior is embraced or at least blithely endured. I’m too butch for a typical salon but way too refined for the kind of bodega-​barbershop hybrid where listless neighborhood dudes sit around all day farting and listening to talk radio while a lone, unlicensed barber trims hair. To address the predominant complaint of my fellow reviewers, I will happily pay a little above the going local rate to avoid sorry scenes like that from the last century.
As for some other concerns raised here, specifically, about POI’s status as a hotbed of the dangerous «hipster» movement, it’s time for everyone to get over it. I have no animosity towards younger guys who wear looser dress shirts than I do and tattoo their forearms and listen to electronic music. Who am I to judge? My knees and arms are covered with hideous scars from bike accidents (2006) and short-​sighted elective surgery (2011) and a knife fight with my diabetic Scottish flatmate (that never happened, I just made that up, or stole it from Trainspotting).
How someone else dresses or what they do with their skin is of no concern to me; calling out a hair stylist as a dreaded «hipster» rather than focusing on his work undermines a review. So does harping on price like you collect food stamps when in the very same review you reference living in Cobble Hill, which, the last time I checked, has one-​bedroom rents of about $ 2500 a month.
That said, I also paid $ 42 for my haircut last week, and sure, I’d have preferred to have paid $ 30, or $ 20, or $ 0, but I don’t set the prices at business that I do not own, so I pay what is advertised and gripe only if asked to pay grossly above that. Here’s the thing: the advertising at POI is accurate. Their website does not say $ 30, it says $ 40, and that extra $ 2 that people are raging about is what is known in this country as «tax.» Have you other critics heard of that? Tax. Businesses have to pay it, or they get raided.
More about the price: I once let my buddy «Ford» talk me into going to one of those men’s spas that try to be all «mobbed-​up» and «old school» to appeal to middle-​class guys who can’t accept having drab, non-​cinematic lives. I dropped 60 bucks in that supposed refuge for Men’s Men and all I got was a Ward Cleaver perm and a single shot of Sanka espresso. Also, the staff at the Tough Guy place did a bunch of grotesque DeNiro impressions, but instead of doing dialogue from «Goodfellas,» they were quoting «Analyze That.»
POI also offered me a shampooing, so I disagree with the review that stated $ 42 gets you a cut only. As for the writer who bemoaned not being offered a beer? Maybe try being a grownup next time and asking for one. Here, this is how it works:
Me: «Hey, can I have a beer?»
Guy at front desk: «Yeah, they’re in the cooler. Help yourself.»
Not too hard. And just because you pay someone to cut your hair doesn’t mean you can dress them in an apron and have them fetch you a pair of slippers and your pipe.
As for the haircut, I was offered suggestions about what to do with the graying, uninspired, and salmon-​shaped lump of gristle that usually rests upon my skull. Ordinarily, barbers just run a crusty Remington shaver (ca. 1986) over my head and send me off. My barber/​stylist (Matt) made suggestions about how to keep it clean but not conservative, which is exactly what I asked for, and exactly what he provided. It turns out you can have short hair yet not resemble a guy who wears a bow-​tie and screams about taxes on cable TV. Thanks, Matt.
Again, I understand comments about the price, but in addition to a haircut, you are also paying for a drink or two, staff who can communicate in more than grunts and sniffing, and the pleasing absence of talk radio and loitering neighborhood dudes. It’s worth it.

I am so happy with my sons first (at 9yrs) «short, short» hair cut… Jessica did a fabulous job and she was as cool as a cucumber which is more than I can say for myself.
40 dollars is well worth the time and detail put into the cut Jonah got– and they fit us in without an appointment. I love the homage to Sal’s (they kept the big photo on the back wall). My husband was Sal’s sons’s best friend growing up and its nice to see it as a barbershop albeit very different.

Meh. And, let me tell you, a $ 45 «Meh» is not a good thing.
I can certainly appreciate what POI is trying to do. Create a hipster/​cool/​haircutting paradise. An old school barbershop with a bunch of cool fixin’s. Cooler full of beer? Check! Interesting esoteric periodicals? Check! Stylin’ hipster tattoo’ed barbers? Check!
That’s all there is to it, really. (And to be frank, on more than one occasion, I’ve opened up the cooler to find only seltzer. Seltzer.)
It’s just so overpriced that you end up feeling like (and looking a little like) a tool walking out the door. I’ve had a ton of haircuts in Brooklyn and this is not the best. It’s only «eh, fine.» I will say that the best cut I’ve had there was from «Andy,» so seek him out if you do go. Smith Street Barbers does as good a job for about a ¹⁄₃ of the price.
If you have money to burn — you’ll be fine. If you’re on a budget — keep walking, with your misshapen head held high.

Do you want to pay a hipster $ 50 to give you a haircut that is not even as attentive as the one you can get up the street for 20? This is your place. Really. Look no further.
You have got to be kidding me with this place. I still can’t believe I paid these guys nearly 50 bucks for a 15 minute cut. With no shampoo even. Or any discernable attention to detail that I could detect. It was a very, very average quality cut.
There’s no way I’ll repeat the visit, nor recommend it to anyone else that cares about actual results and value over image and music.
The music. It was actually good. That’s where the one star comes from. Everything else, forget it.