Sri Sai Saloon

Our little saloon is right on Palaniandavar Koil Street in Perambur. Being near the Vellaiyan Veg Market means things get started very early around here. You can hear the trucks and the sellers shouting long before most of Chennai is even awake. We open up, sweep the front, and get the water ready. Sri Sai Saloon is just a basic neighborhood spot. We have the usual rotating chairs and the smell of shaving cream is always in the air. Men from the market often come in for a quick shave before their shift starts, or sometimes they just want to sit and talk about the price of vegetables or the latest cricket score. We don't have air conditioning, just some ceiling fans that work hard all day. The floor is old tile and we’ve got pictures of deities on the wall with some faded flower garlands. It’s a small space, so when three or four people are waiting, it feels crowded, but nobody really minds. We use simple tools, nothing fancy or electric that breaks all the time. Just good old scissors and razors. The street outside is always dusty and busy, but that is just how Perambur is. We’ve seen kids grow up and start bringing their own children here for their first haircuts. It makes the days feel worth it. We aren't trying to change the world, just keeping the neighborhood looking decent one haircut at a time. It is quiet for a few hours in the afternoon, but then it picks up again.