Three places around L.A. for a good old-fashioned shave

Despite the contemporary proliferation of facial hair, or maybe because of it, there’s a measurable and nostalgic return to the art of barbering, including beard trims and shaves, lest one look like a Civil War re-enactor.

Here are three spots in Los Angeles to get a close shave:

BOLT BARBERS

Location: Downtown L.A., arguably ground zero of local hipsterdom and showcase of facial hair styles for the West Coast, if not the entire free world.

Ambience: Retro man-cave. Playboy and Rolling Stone magazines are among titles available for those desiring some old-school reading while waiting for their old-school grooming.

Soundtrack: The New Age music was relaxing, but more suited for a spa in the woods than a barber shop in the city.

Barber-ism: “My job is to make sure your skin stays healthy.” — Shawn Grant

Price: $30 plus tip

Day of / day after: I arrived for my shave with a weekend’s worth of stubble. The shave happened around noon, and by 8 a.m. the following morning, my face felt like fine sandpaper, not much different than the day after a home shave.

Info: 460 S. Spring St., Los Angeles; (213) 232-4715, Boltbarbers.com

ANGELO’S BARBER SHOP

Location: Downtown L.A. in the financial district in a street-level suite outside the Millennium Biltmore Hotel.

Ambience: Your father’s barber shop. Wood paneling, marble wash basins, photographs of hot rides and hotter women.

Soundtrack: News and sports radio interspersed with classic rock.

Barber-ism: “This is something that every man has dreamed of trying at least once in his life.” — Patrick Ford

Price: $30 plus tip

Day of / day after: One day’s growth going in for another noontime shave. My face felt smooth enough to skip the morning shave the next day.

Info: 515-A S. Olive St., Los Angeles; (213) 627-7440, angelosbarbershop.com. Angelo’s also operates six other shops in Southern California, including Berkeley Barbers in Santa Monica.

THE SHAVE OF BEVERLY HILLS

Location: Beautiful Beverly Hills, where most unpleasantness has been eradicated. But not whiskers.

Ambience: Gentleman’s club from days of yore. Dark wood, frosted glass and subdued (read: forgiving) lighting.

Soundtrack: Jazz with big band shadings, evocative of another era without sounding like a time warp.

Barber-ism: “If I’m trying to sell you something throughout your shave, you can’t relax.” — Ron Randle

Price: $95 plus tip for the Beverly Hills Shave, which includes a light shoulder, arms and hand massage as well as a mini-facial.

Day of / day after: One day’s growth going in for a 9 a.m. shave. I walked out with a face about as smooth as Caitlyn Jenner’s. Next morning, I was good to go without breaking out the shaving kit.

Info: 230 S. Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills; (310) 858-8281, theshavebeverlyhills.com

MORE FOR FATHER’S DAY:

Dad didn’t know everything about shaving
Fashionable gift ideas for dad on Father’s Day
For Father’s Day in L.A., consider these 8 spots for grooming services