Venkat Kamal Hair Saloon

You can find us in Abid Nagar, right in the lane opposite the Bank of Baroda in Akkayyapalem. It’s a bit of a narrow lane but there’s usually space for a bike. The shop has been here for years. It was my father's place before it was mine. We kept the name the same. It’s a traditional saloon. We have those old-fashioned barber chairs that lean all the way back for a shave. Those are hard to find now. Most of our customers have been coming here since they were kids. Now they bring their own kids. It’s a lot of history in these four walls. We don't have air conditioning, just a big ceiling fan that works hard in the summer. We keep the razors sharp and the towels clean. It’s not a place for fancy music; we usually just have the local radio station on low. Sometimes the neighbors stop by just to sit and talk for ten minutes even if they don't need a haircut. It’s that kind of neighborhood. We don't use those expensive imported gels, just the stuff that works. The floor is old tile and it's seen a lot of feet over the decades. We just keep the door open and wait for whoever comes in. It’s a quiet way to make a living and we like it that way. Everyone is welcome to sit and wait their turn.