Barber Supply in Detroit

Our Detroit store keeps a working barber section rather than a token shelf: clippers and trimmers, replacement blades, shavers, guards and comb attachments, brushes and the sprays and oils that keep a machine running. It's at 15221 Houston Whittier St, just off Gratiot near 7 Mile, and it opens at 8:45 AM every day except Sunday, which is early enough to sort out a dead blade before a first appointment.

Blades are the part that decides everything

A clipper that pulls or leaves lines is usually a blade problem, not a motor problem, so the cheapest fix in a barber's bag is a spare set. Blades dull gradually and you tend to notice on the fade before you notice on the bulk work. Keep a spare for each machine you use daily, oil after every couple of cuts, and brush the hair out of the teeth rather than tapping it loose, which knocks the alignment off.

What to buy alongside the machine

Guards in the sizes you actually use, and duplicates of the ones that go missing. Clipper oil and a cleaning brush. A spray that cools and disinfects between clients. Neck strips and a duster. A trimmer for the line-up if your clipper is doing double duty, since edging with a wide blade is what wears it out fastest.

Ordering ahead for pickup

This is the store that handles every online order, so you can put a blade, guards and oil in a cart on kellybeautyonline.com and collect it here instead of hunting the aisles between cuts. Weekday orders placed before 2 PM Eastern start processing the same day. If it's easier to have it come to the shop, Michigan shipping is a flat $4.99 and usually lands in 1 to 3 business days.

Our Detroit store

Our Detroit store is at 15221 Houston Whittier St, just off Gratiot near 7 Mile on the east side, and it's the one that handles every online pickup order. It opens at 8:45 AM every day but Sunday, with the latest closing on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8:15 PM. Coming from downtown or Midtown, Gratiot runs straight there; from the west side, 7 Mile or Davison to Conner is the quickest way over.