Craig's Barber Shop Avis 

Craig met my 4 year old for the first time today, and although my boy showed some reluctance at first as I would expect him to, the haircut quickly became a non issue for him. Craig was very patient, allowing my boy to roam the shop and look at the sensory toys etc to feel comfortable, before going back in to chop some more of his hair off! No tears whatsoever, and by the end, he didn’t want to leave the shop as he was enjoying the toys! Normally you couldn’t get him out of that type of situation fast enough, but I had to bribe him out!

Excellent hair cut, but more importantly, made my little man feel comfortable and not unduly stressed!

Ps. Another boy was having his cut by another barber, and he was equally calm and looked after!

I had been a customer of this barbershop for approximately forty‑five years. During a recent cold spell, I arrived for a scheduled haircut and saw a large “OPEN” flag displayed outside the front door. Despite the sign, the door was locked. I knocked, assuming there might be a simple oversight.

The owner, Craig, came to the door and responded in an angry and condescending manner, asking what was “wrong” with me and stating that he was having lunch. If the shop was temporarily unavailable, a brief note on the door would have prevented confusion. Instead, I was spoken to in a way that was surprising and inappropriate, especially given my long history as a loyal customer who consistently tipped well.

Later, Craig called to inform me that my barber was retiring. During that same call, he told me that I was no longer welcome at the shop. After forty‑five years of patronage, this was both unexpected and disappointing. Based on this experience, I cannot recommend this establishment.
THIS REVIEW IS FOR CRAIG'S BARBER SHOP IN SPENCER, MA.USA~

Craig is amazing at what he does. My little boy Jack now has his hair cut without being distressed or overwhelmed. Craig is calm and patient and I would recommend him to anybody.

First time at Craig’s and I have to say from start to finish he was brilliant with my lad. Nay has not had a proper haircut for going on 3 years due to sensory issues and people not getting him and his hair was very long and no shape. He had asked Craig for a wolf cut and he sorted him out so he is prom ready for next week. Nay was happy throughout and as we left his words were “yep he is my guy now.” Big words for nay.
Thank you so much Craig. We will definitely be back.

An amazing experience. Really glad we found this place, my son was just happy playing with the toys and had a a great time and didn't really notice he has having his hair cut, first time it wasn't a traumatic experience in 3 years

After three years of traumatic hair cuts at home. All it took was five minutes of Craig chatting to my 4 year old. He made him feel comfortable sitting on the sofa rather than the chair. He demonstrated on his arm that the scissors don’t hurt. He was Freddie lead which was so great to see. Freddie told Craig which part of his head he wanted cutting.
I love how quiet the salon is when you enter. It feels so calm and welcoming. No loud hair dryers or clippers which can be quite frightening for Freddie.
I will be taking Freddie back to Craig from now on.
Five stars.
Gemma (Freddie’s mum)

I recently had my haircut at Craigs and it was honestly one of the most positive experiences I’ve ever had at a barber.

I went in feeling extremely anxious because I was cutting my hair from quite long to very short, which felt like a big change for me. I even asked if I could sit facing away from the mirror while it was being cut because watching it happen would have made me more nervous. Instead of making it awkward or brushing it off, he was incredibly kind and understanding about it.
From the moment I explained how I was feeling, he was patient, calm, and genuinely caring. He took his time, checked in with me, and created such a relaxed atmosphere that my anxiety slowly melted away. It’s rare to find someone who is not only skilled at what they do but also so thoughtful about the person sitting in the chair.

By the end of the haircut I felt comfortable, respected, and really happy with the result. I absolutely love my hair now. It’s so easy to manage and quick to wash, which makes such a difference day to day. The haircut itself is fantastic and exactly what I hoped for.
It’s clear that he takes pride not just in the haircut but in making sure people feel safe, comfortable, and looked after while they’re there.

I will definitely be going back to his shop and I highly recommend others to visit Carries Barbershop. If you’re someone who gets anxious about haircuts or you’re thinking about making a big change with your hair, you’ll be in very good hands.

My little boy is 3 and would not let anyone cut his hair, Craig was absolutely amazing and had it done in no time, he's definitely got super powers haha. I'm absolutely made up with my little boys hair, I cannot recommend Craig enough

Wonderful place! Wish I'd heard about it sooner. My son is 6 years old, and has a diagnosis of autism.
Craig made him feel welcome and comfortable. He was cutting his hair within minutes.
Craig went at his pace, with no pressure. He listened to his needs.
Hair cuts in the past have been very distressing.
Thankyou so so much. We will be back in a few weeks.
Kim

My son had a great time at his appointment today with Scott – he loves his hair and really appreciated that Scott actually had a conversation with him and listened to what he wanted.

He’s had experiences in the past where hairdressers either didn’t speak to him at all or didn’t do what he asked for, so this made such a difference. He also loved that Scott knew what Brassic was!

We will definitely be back – thank you for making his day.

Today, we visited this place for the first time with my 4-year-old son, Oscar, who is non-verbal and autistic. We discovered it through a newspaper article and received many recommendations from other parents of children with special educational needs. Typically, Oscar is not fond of haircuts, but this establishment makes the experience much more enjoyable. They offer a variety of toys for kids to engage with, and Craig allows children to do what they need to feel comfortable, turning the haircut into an entertaining and engaging activity. The service is outstanding and welcoming, and the premises are spotless. It's hard to find a more inclusive environment, and I would highly suggest it to everyone.

We took our 5 year old non-verbal autistic son Eric here for the first time. We had tried to research autism friendly barbers local to us and Craigs baber shop came up. Our son usually goes into meltdown when he enters a barber shop, but this place makes it a dream, I got emotional during the appointment seeing Eric having his haircut without him being in distress. There was lots of toys for the him to play with and Craig just let Eric do whatever he wanted to and followed him cutting his hair, this helpes him regulate whilst making the hair cutting process fun and smooth. You don't get more inclusive than this place and I would highly recommend them to anyone. Amazing. Thank you

After many tears and stressful visits to hairdressers my husband came across Craig on Instagram and managed to get an appointment! I was very nervous it would be another upsetting experience but it was a massive massive success! Craig had lots of toys for the children, the environment was homely and laid back! Isaac had free reign of the space and could walk and play while Craig did his hair! There was no scary build up to here comes the hair cut, or we need you to sit still now Isaac! It was brilliant! Most excitingly Isaac feels so positive about the experience and came home very excited to show off his new hair! We are already booked in again for next month and will not go anywhere else now! Hope Craig’s in the business for life because he’s stuck with us now! Thank you!🤣🤣🤣

We brought 7 year old Shushu for his first appointment at Craig's and will now be coming back every time! Shushu is autistic and has cerebral palsy, is non verbal and very opposed to being forced to sit in a chair to have his hair cut! It's always been very distressing for everyone involved and he's been banned from the barber shop we've used until now. Craig cut his hair while Shushu was sitting on the floor playing with toys, he followed him around when he bum shuffled his way all around the floorspace, as calm as anything. We've never experienced a haircut with Shushu in such a calm, non- stressful way! Our only wish is for Craig to be closer to where we live - please open up another branch 😅 Thank you!

Craig is a cracking guy. Always smiling. Get a good laugh with him. My son and myself get haircuts from Craig always happy with them. Craig always try his hardest to accommodate us with appointments to suit us. Can't recommend him and his guys highly enough.

Had an amazing experience at this barber shop! The beard styling service was on point. I walked out looking absolutely fabulous. Best barber shop!

After many stressful experiences at the barbers with our non verbal 3 year old we thought we’d try to find someone who specialises in neuro diverse children. It was a totally different and amazing experience! Craig allowed Freddie to play with all the toys and just cut his hair around his playing. Will definitely be returning in the future.

I’ve been going to barbers for years, but honestly—none of them come close to Craig. He’s not just a barber, he’s a proper hairstylist—and you can tell the moment you sit in his chair. The level of detail, the care, the skill… it’s next level.

What makes it even better is how friendly and down-to-earth he is. No awkward silences or rushed jobs—just good chat, a great atmosphere, and someone who genuinely knows what they’re doing.

I couldn’t be happier with the cut and the whole experience. Craig’s completely raised the bar. Won’t be going anywhere else now.

Absolutely amazing experience with Craig at Craig’s Barbershop. My two-year-old, who is non-verbal and usually finds haircuts extremely distressing, had a successful haircut today on our first visit. Craig is incredibly understanding, patient, and caring. He created a calm, supportive environment and worked at my child's pace. I can't recommend his services enough for parents of children with additional needs. A genuinely kind and skilled barber. Thank you Craig :)

Craig was great with our son! It was his first hair cut in a year as he started to find them really stressful! We’re unsure if he’s in the spectrum (being referred by nursery) and hates anything to do with touching his hair (brushed, washed, cut etc.), but Craig managed to make him comfortable enough to play with the toys available in the shop! Craig just happily followed our son anywhere he went in the shop to cut his hair and it looks great! He looks so much older and seems happier that it’s no longer in his eyes or has to be tied up!

Thanks so much!