Whiskers Barber Company & Shave Parlor (Exeter)

"I tried this barber shop out after being enticed by coupons in a local magazine. The positives: - It has a very unique and hip vibe, and clearly quite a bit of effort has been expended to cultivate a certain fun, casual atmosphere. - The quality of the haircuts varies based on the barber but the majority of the barbers are skilled at their craft and will give you a quality haircut. The negatives: - On my first visit, as I walked in and waited, a barber came up to me and told me he would cut my hair, as I didn't have an appointment. The gentleman did a fine job, and everything seemed great, until I went to the cash register and he claimed that because he was a "manager" his rate for haircuts was over $10 more than the standard rate. I acquiesed but felt a bit misled because there was no mention of a "manager rate" anywhere, and I wasn't informed of this until it was time to pay. I wish I had the option to choose whether or not I receive the "manager" cut and this option should clearly be posted somewhere in the shop. - On my second visit, I received a standard cut from a non-"manager" barber, and was sufficiently satisifed, but I then presented a coupon that I printed out from the Internet qualifying me for a $19 haircut, to which the man at the register told me: "We don't accept coupons that were printed out". Ok... so why are they posted online at all? I just gave him the full rate and went on my way. - The third time around, I brought an actual physical coupon from the "Clipper" magazine sent around town, and went it came time for me to pay, I presented this coupon. The manager accepted it, tucked it away, but charged me over $35 for the cut anyway. I quickly commented to him that the coupon clearly said "$19 for a haircut", to which he hesitated a bit, seemingly "caught", and then re-entered the $19 cost into the computer. So based on these experiences I am under the impression that this business tactic of discouraging the acceptance of coupons that were printed and circulated, and charging hidden "manager" fees is probably encouraged from the top down, by the management or even the ownership. Due to having these "misunderstandings" every single time I went in, and reading some of the other reviews on here, this is the conclusion I come to. In closing, the haircuts are of a high quality, and the barbershop has a fun vibe and atmosphere, BUT the business model of trying to "pull a fast one" on customers, or at least giving that impression, damages the whole experience from the perspective of a customer. It's a shame that they feel they need to do this, but I guess that the owners decided that this is the best way for them to make money."

"Very cool looking barber shop with antique looking chairs, a collection of interesting looking clocks, a pool table and a ping pong table that was in use while I was there. I arrived a few minutes early and was seated right away. My barber had her toddler son at work with her and it was nice to see that it was allowed rather than having her lose work. I got a low fade for my afro and it looks just how I wanted it to look. They have a loyalty program which I signed up for. Would recommend."

"Whiskers is one of the best local spots in reading. Scheduling haircuts is easy through their online scheduling system but they also take walk ins. I see Em for my haircuts in exeter location, and I received a great fade haircuit that makes me look sharp. They just opened a new location in reading recently so obviously, it is a sign that their process is working. I would recommend to anyone."

"I have a 3 year old autistic son who is so fearful of getting his haircut. So much so that I had to cut his hair at home. A friend of mine recommended Whiskers in Exeter and I decided to give it a try despite being extremely nervous my son would fight and scream the whole time. Immediately when I walked in the environment was so welcoming and they even had a cat walking around that came right up to my son to be pet! His eyes lit up so I knew we were off to a good start. Our appointment was with Johnlee and he was so incredibly kind to my son and had such a calming demeanor about him. My son did cry but Johnlee never got frustrated with him and was so patient. Several other barbers came over to give my son a high five and tell him how great he was doing and even gave him toy cars which my son loved! Customer service aside, my son’s haircut came out soooo cute!! They really know how to cut hair! I would HIGHLY recommend to anyone especially those mamas with kids who are nervous with haircuts. Absolutely will be a long time customer there!"

"First time there with my son. It was easy to schedule an appointment. Tony was great. Only surprise was a $5.05 appointment fee. I was unaware of it when I booked online. Only thing I recommend is making that clearer. Overall a great experience"