He Man Saloon

Our saloon is located at 411 D in Defence Colony, which is in the Jajmau area of Kanpur. We are tucked away behind St Josaph School, so we hear the school bells and the kids playing during their break times. It’s a fairly quiet pocket compared to the main roads of Kanpur. The shop is a place for men to come and get their hair cut or get a shave without any drama. We have the usual black barber chairs and a row of mirrors that we try to keep clear of smudges. The walls have a few posters of different haircuts, but most guys just tell us what they want instead of pointing at the pictures. We start the day early, sweeping the floor and getting the razors ready. Jajmau is an interesting area to work in, and Defence Colony has a lot of families who have been here for years. We get the fathers bringing their sons in for their first haircuts, and then those sons grow up and keep coming back. It’s a steady pace of work. We don't have any air conditioning, just a couple of strong ceiling fans that keep the air moving when it gets muggy. We aren't trying to be a high-end salon; we are just a neighborhood shop where you can sit down, have a bit of a talk, and get your hair sorted out. It’s worked for us so far and we really like it here.