the upgraded saloon kadai | neighbourhood experiences
old, mildly cracked blue leather. a startlingly clean mirror. the half-hidden aroma of the coloured plastic water spray bottle and its contents. and the quiet, old uncle who signals you toward the sofa stuffed into a corner of the tiny establishment. the door swings shut, and the sound of the latest dance numbers from the TV in the corner becomes clearer.
an eternal half-hour later, your aspirations of a Shahrukh Khan or Tom Cruise, seen on the posters outsides are revealed in their full glory to your gently opening eyes: ah, yes. the glorious bob cut. the hairstyle of choice for parents and PT instructors alike.
this was the quintessential barber shop experience of the yesteryears.
in the decades since, we have seen the emergence of multiple high-end salon chains(Toni&Guy springs immediately to mind!), that offer not just the basics, but an experience that pampers you! gone are the thirty-minute in-and-out sessions. in come perfectly lit, supremely stylised interiors, with not a hair in sight, and the recommendations of stylists and senior stylists whose appointments you make ahead of time, for a “consultation”! we won’t lie, the novelty of this has got us trying this out at least once!
with more money in our pockets and us moving up the ladder, in search of experiences, a quick look around shows us that the neighbourhood stalwarts have caught on to our newfound traits too. with time, the barber next door has evolved! “why should my customer have to spend THAT MUCH for a great experience?” he asks.
from sparklingly clean establishments, indistinguishable from the higher priced luxe offerings, to neatly uniformed, polite and efficient stylists, the smaller businesses are establishing brands centred around their own unique story and vision. take Mckingstown for example: a brand built on bringing the elements of european barber culture into the indian grooming scene. or Saloon Elite, whose prices may stun you when considering the quality of their services and the products they use. each of these, are a brand built upon not just the visual elements you may take in, but also the story and experience they offer you.
from high standards of cleanliness, and the best and latest products on offer, to being up to date on the newest aesthetic trends, no more are the luxury offerings the only way to get the best experiences. if it is stories and experiences you are after, on your way to the barber’s, your own neighbourhood might just have you more than covered on those fronts. (pssst… your wallet would thank you too!)
a neighbourhood experience: elevated.