The 78-year-old Kerala Hairdressers boasts of a good number of clientele even today.Known for their machine cutting, the staff at the salon still relies on a simple pair of scissors.
CHENNAI: Gone are the days where hair salons were only meant for hair trims and shaves. This is the age of trendy salons that offer a range of cuts and hairdos, sometime bordering on the ridiculous. However, unfazed by the odds stacked against it is Kerala Hairdressers, a 78-year-old salon in Pondy Bazaar providing service to its customers ‘just like the good ol’ times’.
Neatly arranged salon chairs, wooden frameworks that have been polished and smoothened over decades, mirror frames and glass works that have been a part of the establishment for years azre found in the salon. Set up by Sankunni Nair, the salon was taken over by his son Aravindakshan and is currently being run by the third generation proprietor of the family — Sandeep. “We come from the ‘Valakathara house’ from Kerala, a family that traditionally consists of hairdressers. My grandfather had planned to go to Sri Lanka and start a salon there, but somehow he ended up in Madras and he stayed here,” narrates Sandeep.
Sankunni, who initially worked in a salon in Thiruvallikeni later shifted to a salon — Malabar Hairdressers in Pondy Bazaar. “The owner of the salon said he was going to leave the profession and that’s when my grandfather decided to take it up and the rest is history!” he shares.
Recalling days when the salon was famous for ‘machine cutting’, Sandeep beams, “Everyone used to say that we are the best place for machine cutting. Even today people come to us if they want to get a neatly cut/trimmed hair.” As we talk, few ‘regular customers’ enter the salon and the staff immediately get to work. “We have customers who have been coming to us for three generations. So, we know what they want,” he smiles.
A wall clock, made by Sankunni’s friend Venugopal is one of the most popular ‘exhibits’ in the salon. Sandeep cannot stop gushing about it and the friendship between Venugopal and his grandfather. “Venugopal made this clock for my grandfather in the early 40s and it’s still in working condition. Many times, people ask if I would sell it…but I say a stern no!” he says and talks about the famous Maan mark teakwood salon chairs in the shop. “You see these salon chairs? Not everyone could make them back then. We initially had six chairs when the shop was opened. Later, Venugopal introduced my grandfather to Vedagiri, a wood craftsman. He made four salon chairs for us…at the rate of `17 each,” shares Sandeep and says that they are proud to have the first ‘Vedagiri chair’ in their shop.
From discussing politics to government affairs, the salon has seen it all. “This used to be the place where ideas were shared over haircuts and quick shaves,” he says and adds that their shop was one among the few including Naidu Hall, which was then a tailoring shop, to have survived World War II. “Many shopkeepers left for their own towns during this period. But my grandfather said that he’ll stay back, come what may. And he persisted through it all,” Sandeep adds.
Kerala Hairdressers boasts of a star-studded clientele including industrialist Nalli Kuppuswami and actor Sivakumar. Sandeep says that there were several others but they eventually stopped visiting after the Pondy Bazaar stretch became crowded with shops. “They didn’t want to be mobbed,”
he said.
As another customer steps in to get a medium-cut done, Sandeep says, “Innovation is good, but when it comes to giving a neat job, the old scissors have seen it all.”