Imperial Shaving

Never knew that there was a wet shaving store in Ohio let alone Medina, so when I found out about this place I was there. Good supply of shaving soaps and creams and everything in between. Good prices and friendly service. I will be back.

Walked in and was immediately greeted by an older man, whom I told I was just browsing and didn’t need any assistance. After 3 minutes of browsing I was approached again by the same associate, and I told him a few specific products I was looking for and the skin problems that I had. He told me to go CVS instead and that I shouldn’t buy any of his products until I knew what caused my irritation. Now I’ve done hours of research, and I walked into this store ready to spend money, I even made an hour drive to get there having read about their selection online. This man insulted me, and talked himself out of sales, and made absolutely certain I’ll never be back. You don’t send a potential customer away like that, and you certainly shouldn’t be rude about it.

This place is AMAZING! And a complete surprise find!
I very recently started getting interested in taking better care of my facial grooming habits and so splurged for an Art of Shaving kit, watched numerous youtube videos on shaving, prep, everything. I thought I was content and educated enough at these additions and changes, after all, the biggest sign of success to me seemed that my face was smoother and itchiness was minimized. I was so wrong.
Some video really made me want a shaving bowl. Not just the novelty of one, but also it had convinced me that I could work a better lather out of my brush with one. I went to the usual suspect stores like a Bed, Bath and Beyond, Brookstone… nothing. I was too impatient to order one from Amazon so I decided to look up if any places in the area sold/​specialized in shaving gear. This place popped up and was really close by so I thought I’d come check it out.
WHOA. Did. Not. Expect. I thought Art of Shaving display cases were impressive before. Not any more at all. They’re okay, I guess… but this place… wow! Imagine AoS as Toys R Us and Imperial Shaving as the FAO Schwartz. The setup, walls and rows of products is vast. I’ve never even heard of 95% of what they carry; it’s like when you’re at the barber or dentist waiting room and you pick up some cigar or watch aficionado magazine off the coffee table and leaf through. Their assortment of brushes is huge as is anything to do with straight razors… the next thing I need to tackle apparently once I graduate past the proper safety razor level.
Found a great shaving bowl which are handmade locally and picked out by a very knowledgable guy whom I think may be the owner’s son. They were both very well informed and great help at navigating my way through all their products. My girlfriend came with me and commented on the store’s vastness comparing it to when I would accompany her to a Sephora and stand around overwhelmed and lost: «This is like Sephora for guys… but like way, way nicer.»
I understand that a lot of their business exists online as well which would explain how much stock they have. It was so wild finding this gem so close by, let alone in Ohio. It comes across like a store I’d find in SoHo, not in random Medina (no offense at all to Medina… I love that town). This is the third time the past couple years that I’ve had this sort of reaction to some new discovery locally… hidden gems of Northeast Ohio sort of thing. It’s in great company with the rare toys/​comics store in Canal Fulton and the paper supplies place in Brunswick.
P. S. I now know that AoS does indeed make great products… they’re just overpriced for what they are. Similar priced items here are of much, much higher quality, while items of similar quality to AoS here are ¹⁄₅^th the price.

Great selection and service! Wish I lived closer.

I’ve walked past this place a few dozen times, never having any idea of its existence. Then, leaving the farmer’s market, I noticed the sign. (A kind woman, noticing that ever-​present look of confusion on my face simply said, «It’s in the basement.» That’s all I needed to know, and now I’m able to shave, properly. It was almost too easy.)
It’s astonishing, really, to see a shop that is this perfect, this well-​organized, with so much room, so many options, the highest level of service, out here in Mrs. Falbo’s Tiny Town. I mean, Medina. Walls of fine, imported product. Display cases filled with the most tempting of straight and safety razors. What may be North America’s single largest selection of shaving brushes, all lined up in formation, prepared to conquer your bewhiskered face. They will soon have a barber shop, attached to the retail facility, and I will some day pamper myself with someone else taking a whack at my ugly mug. I may even ask them to shave it.
Close readers of my reviews will know that I really, really tried to buy a razor at another store and was turned away. For about twenty percent or so less, I now own the perfect long-​handled razor, carefully crafted in Germany yet willing to stoop so low as to shave my ancient face. And pre-​shave oil. And brush soap. (I nearly bought the barber’s chair; no one offered to shave FOR me, so that was out.)
«The beauty of the world which is so soon to perish, has two edges, one of laughter, one of anguish, cutting the heart asunder.»
– Virginia Woolf