Hey Turds,
We hope you’re all getting adjusted to the new school year. There’s something about fall that’s always exciting as we gear up for the year ahead. We love it when our old students return, and new ones experience the city for the first time. It’s a welcome feeling after a long, slow, and hot summer. With all that excitement in mind we want to remind everyone that we need everyone’s cooperation and respect so we can all enjoy our experiences in this city, and in our barbershop.
You all know that with the return to school comes the return of busy schedules and the need for appointments. The pace of the summer gives us a lot more flexibility with walk ins, but we do not have that luxury during the school year. A great way to cooperate and show your respect is by planning and being on time for your appointments. We know things happen, so please just communicate with us if you can’t keep an appointment.
You know what else is respectful? Treating your barber like a professional and showing them the same courtesy that you would show any other professional. Please arrive with clean hair. We’re not trying to be rude…or make anyone feel bad. Dirty hair dulls our equipment and just makes the job harder. If you can’t arrive with clean hair, then just understand we may need to add a wash for an additional charge.
Also, be relatively engaged during your visit. We get it…not everyone is a chatty person and not everyone is amused by us. That’s OK. All we ask is that you arrive on time and are ready to interact with your barber. Remove your earbuds or headphones, put your phone away, and you know…try out some basic conversation. Treating each other with basic human decency and engaging as peers will go a long way towards creating an enjoyable experience for everyone.
OK! So, let’s do this, people! We hope you have a great year!
Love,
The Liberty Team
GUMBO…Umm, who? Only the newest member of the Lawson household and the goodest boy to ever boy. Not many people here got the chance to meet our French Fry…and it was so hard to let go of her. It took a few years, but we finally felt ready to introduce a new friend to the mix. Moxie is still feeling playful and not too set in her ways so it was just time, and this beautiful boy needed a safe place to land. Gumbo the Gentle Giant will visit the shop from time to time, but he will never, EVER, be EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH, LITERALLY EVERY MONTH!
HANNAH…Hannah always kicks ass and usually takes names…and she’s been through it lately. Helping her daughter get used to kindergarten while caring for her injured fiancé after emergency surgery has been stressful. We are amazed at her ability to stay strong and work through the tough times. We love you, Hannah! Hang in there!
JENNY…So many things! Jenny is back with her old dance krewe, Roux La La, and that’s keeping her knee deep in dancing and glitter! She’s also choring it up this way and that… babysitting, pet sitting, and housekeeping jobs. And as you already know…she brought a new fur baby into the mix! So, her dance card is pretty full.
CHRIS…Remember that time when summer happened, Chris never left New Orleans, and now we’re back to this shit again?
DEBY…Deby thinks that Chris should clean up his language in this newsletter.
DANNY…We have added Apprentice Haircuts with Danny to our booking site. Our goal is to offer haircuts free of charge for one-hour sessions (gratuity recommended). Right now, we’re giving him basic clipper and scissor cuts to help him build the muscle memory he needs to gain skills and confidence. Our goal is to have him cut hair for a fee starting in November. Please remember, these are training opportunities so be courteous and show some grace when giving feedback on these services.
MOXIE…Where does a beagle even begin when it comes to abandonment? First my mommy leaves me for like a whole week to look at some other dog. And there was a cat. A CAT! I don’t know what this world is coming to and then she goes and brings Gumbo into my house! Gumbo. What a stupid name…more like Dumbo. Did you see him!? He’s going to eat all the snacks and there won’t be any left for Moxie. That’s scary! How can I be a good EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH, LITERALLY EVERY MONTH if I’m not getting proper beagle nutrition? I’m going to hide in my hidey-hole in the backyard and maybe never come out for like 5 whole minutes. That’s how mad I am.
GRIPES AND GRATITUDE… Everything is too expensive, and it seems like there is an up charge for everything. I know how hard it is to keep a small business going, but when does it become ridiculous to pass the buck onto the customer? It’s annoying. I’m going to implement an up charge if you want me to wash my hands. We’ve become such an unreasonable culture, and I feel like AI and technology is only making it worse.
Does this up charge culture stem from being so disconnected from honest human interaction? We just shove a screen in someone’s face and ask for a 35% tip, or order 15,000 bottles of water without the hassle of scary human interaction. Until none of it works and then by the time a human is available to solve the issue, we’re so irate we just act like garbage. AI is turning us into lazy Karens and a gross culture of taking.
I guess there is a bright side here. Hating humanity and most things being expensive (and disappointing) helps me appreciate the things that matter to me. Jenny and I have worked hard improving our home; we truly enjoy our time there just cooking and living our lives. The addition of the boy has also brought some new playful energy to the house, and that’s something we all really need. So fine…charge me for the lettuce on my sandwich if you must…I’ll probably just make my own sandwich at home anyways.
