I was pretty sick of chain places (such as Supercuts, Great-clips, etc.) making me uglier than I already am, or using some friend of a friend who "went to hair school" and walking away like some kinda pumpkin pie hair-cutted freak. I used to go to Barber shops as a child with my dad, and remembered the feel of those kinds of places as being laid back, yet professional and very close knit. I guess a Barber is to a man, as a hair dresser is to a woman. You only use one you trust, and after a few return visits (assuming they did a good job), they usually know your hair better than you do. They know you by name and take their time and do it right; exactly how you tell them to do it.
When I went in to Gateway for the first time, I went off a recommendation from a friend who had his hair cut there earlier that day, and his cut was super clean. I went in and they asked what I wanted, I showed him a picture of what I had in mind off google, he asked me a few more specific questions, and went to work. I got a comb-over with a fade on about a 1 plus a razor line-up. I'VE NEVER HAD A BETTER HAIRCUT! I'll be back every two weeks to see Adam, that guy knows what he is doing! It was $18 plus a tip, and worth every cent.