Years ago, I got an email.
It was from JQ of the Q Brothers Collective, a troupe of hip hop theatre artists I had admired since my years at New York University, when I discovered their hit, The Bomb-itty of Errors. These guys were doing hip hop musicals more than a decade before some other folks who’ve gotten rich off of it. It turns out JQ was a fan of DaBearsBlog and just wanted to share that with me. I was fucking jazzed.
Years later, his friendship is one of my favorite things to have come from this site. He and his brother have been to Josie Woods for a Bears game. I’ve had beers with him all over Chicago. I’ve spent Christmas at his family’s house. The whole crew are some of my favorite people on the earth.
So who cares, Jeff?
When I decided to start building partnerships with DBB, I thought about Chicago institutions I love. Malnati’s (check). Billy Goat Tavern, and Old Style Beer (pending). Then I thought of the Q Brothers and their family’s legendary pharmacy, Merz Apothecary. (You can read the remarkable history of this institution by CLICKING HERE.) I am by no means expert when it comes to any of the products they sell. However, the woman I live with is. When Sarah and I travel anywhere – East Hampton, Paris, Trenton – I know she’s not going to be able to walk by the local pharmacy without at least a 20-minute venture inside. If she swears by Merz, Merz is the real fucking deal.
Recently I bought these things they sell called Shambars. They look like bars of soap but they replace shampoo and conditioner. I was dubious. This made no sense to me. Then I tried them. And they’re pretty fucking incredible.
So you’ll get my naive responses to these products. And occasionally I’ll bring Sarah into the mix for a more professional opinion. And Merz will have a consistent and cool presence on this site moving forward.
Our First Giveaway!
We’re going to start just as we did with Malnati’s – with a giveaway. Three products. One winner.
- Q Kit Facial Hair Grooming Set
- “Bring your favorite essentials with you, hassle-free. We’ve put our favorite men’s grooming essentials together into one easy kit, to make daily organization and travel a breeze. These handcrafted German favorites are stored in a leather pouch, embossed with the Q Brothers logo. Set includes: Q Brothers X Kent Beard + Mustache Comb, Q Brothers Pear Wood + Boar Bristle Brush, Credo Stainless Steel Grooming Scissors, Credo Embossed Leather Pouch.”
- Q Brothers Beard Oil
- “Achieve the soft, lustrous beard of your dreams with Q Brothers Beard Oil! This carefully crafted blend of organic oils conditions unruly facial hair, hydrates the skin beneath, and imparts a masculine aroma of woods & citrus. Use Q Brothers Beard Oil several times a week for a truly majestic beard (with no “beardruff“!). Pro tip: Q Brothers Beard Oil works best when paired with a beard brush to detangle the beard, coat each hair, and exfoliate the skin beneath.”
- Q Brothers Bears Brush
- “Beards everywhere, rejoice—the Q Brothers Beard Brush is here to tame that facial fuzz! Finely crafted in Germany, it features a handsome and durable pearwood handle with 100% natural boar bristle to promote softness and shine. Measures 3 1/4` long x 1 1/8` wide x 1 1/8` high. Pair with Q Brothers Beard Oil for a truly majestic beard.”
How do you win?
Show us your quarantine beard.
Best beard wins!
You can share it in the comments, on Twitter or by emailing me a photo (jeff@dabearsblog.com).
