Shree Swami Samarth Saloon

The shop is located inside the Siddhivinayak Darshan Building on Mughbhat Cross Lane. This part of Mumbai, around Thakurdwar and Kalbadevi, is always packed with people moving back and forth. Shree Swami Samarth Saloon is just a small corner in all that noise where men can come in to get their hair sorted out. We’ve been here at 35-B for a good while, and most of the people who walk through the door are the same ones we see every week. It’s a tight space, like most things in this city, but we make it work. There are a couple of chairs and some drawers where we keep the combs and clips. We don't spend money on fancy decorations because that's not why people come here. They come because they need a haircut that looks decent so they can go to work or a wedding. The lane outside is usually full of carts and scooters, so it can get a bit loud, but once you’re in the chair, it’s just the sound of the clippers. We don't have a big team, just a few of us who know how to handle a pair of scissors. It’s a straightforward way to earn a living. We try to keep things moving so nobody has to wait too long on the wooden bench we have against the wall. It’s just a regular Mumbai hair shop for regular people living their lives.