'Awesome Cuts' at John's Old School New Skool Barber Shop

in Schwenksville is just like any other barbershop, except store owner John Scioli looks more like a tattoo artist than a barber.

Scioli's barbershop has a unique look, as well. The shop is cluttered with vintage signs, toys and action figures. The register sits in a time machine booth, and there is a unique collection of Elvis lamps scattered throughout the shop.

The shop sits unassumingly on Main Street, and you will gain a hint of what’s inside only by the message board that sits on the sidewalk. One current sign poked fun at the killing of Osama Bin Laden. Most business owners use sidewalk signs to let customers know about prices and specials, but then again, Scioli is not a typical store owner.

Scioli, an award-winning barber, opened Old School New Skool four years ago, and hasn’t looked back since.  He has been cutting hair and acquiring vintage collectables since he was in high school.

After years of working as a barber and “making other people rich,” he decided to open his own store and combine his two passions.

“When I opened the barbershop, I had a lot of the collectible stuff, and I wanted to put it on display for other people to see,” said Scioli.

And there is a lot to see. Aside from all of the memorabilia displayed in the front of the shop, there is a museum in the back that boasts even more vintage collectibles.

The museum is open to the public, and anyone, even someone who is not getting a haircut, is welcome to take a look.

“I want a destination for people to come to. I want it to be more than a haircut. I want people to come here and shut off the rest of the world, let time kind of stand still here,” Scioli said.

It seems Scioli has succeeded. The shop was named Best Barber in 2010 by Philly Hot List. Scioli credits his skill as a barber and his creative use of social media for gaining enough exposure to receive the reward.

Scioli uses MySpace, LinkedIn and Facebook to get the word out there about his shop. He said he takes advantage of Facebook as a marketing tool by posting information about the shop and then “tagging” people with whom he has the most friends in common to draw more customers.

Scioli also named his barbershop “Old School New Skool"  so that it is easier to search for the business on the Internet, he said.

“You have to do something a little different to set yourself apart from the crowd,” said Scioli.

Though the shop is one of a kind, Scioli prides himself on the quality of his services. He takes his time cutting each customer's hair. He remembers the name of everyone who walks through the door, and he offers them a beer or soda. 

“Anybody can give a good haircut. But how many people can give an awesome haircut?” he asked.