Changing trends in the business of cutting men’s hair

As you traverse the Eastern bypass, you might think you just saw a red truck parked along the highway. On closer look, however, you realise it is a barbershop. [Pkemoi Ng'enoh, Standard]

The front is an actual truck, but you imagine the inside could be a bustle of people cutting, trimming, polishing hair to perfection. You tell yourself that is one of the most creative exterior designs you’ve ever seen and therefore take a mental note to check it out one day to see if the interior matches it.

That is until you move a few meters ahead and see, The Boss barbershop built in the shape of a plane, so convincing you can’t tell if it’s an actual plane that has been repurposed into a barbershop or just very good architectural work. Your jaw drops. It is impressive. You will have to check that one out too.

If you happen to stop by Umoja Estate, you will probably come across States Barber Shop and Lounge, built like a swanky matatu. Okay, what is going on here?

Welcome to the new world of male grooming, a far cry from when a barbershop in Kenya used to be a tree with a scrapwood sign labelled ‘Kinyozi'. Anything less than classy and sleek just doesn’t cut it anymore.

“In today’s world, it’s no longer just about hair cutting. Ten years back, all it took was a clean shave and hot towel wipe. The modern man, however, is more aware of certain specifics such as styling their hair to preference, hair maintenance, and so on,” says Thuo Wainaina, the Strategist of Castro’s Mancave. (Barbershops even have strategists now!)

One of the branches of Castro’s Mancave, the one in Westlands, is a treehouse barbershop. All of them have a rustic and industrial theme inside, with the main colour scheme being black.

Thuo says that not much thought was put into the customer experience before, but barbershops are now seeing increased demand in customer experience and high-quality cuts.

“For us, it is not just about cutting the men’s hair and giving the best possible customer experience. We are looking to engage and educate men on their overall grooming - and also creating a platform that exists to engage the modern man on the things that matter to him most,” he says.

The stakes are high, so such moves are what it now takes to give barbershops an edge, and many are now doing whatever it takes to get that edge.

Edward Andrew, also known as Kzee CEO of Fresh Cuts Barbers and Salon in Kilimani, says men's grooming is now a competitive business.

He has been in the industry for 20 years and has witnessed massive changes within the last 10 years where men’s grooming has swiftly become a competitive business. Kenyan men expect more now.

“I remember when I started, I used to just shave, apply spirit and the session was over. I used to be alone in my premises,” he says. But now there are changes and there are things you have to add with time. We now have more services. Men now also do manicures, pedicures, facials and massages, so we have introduced them with time.”

In the past, some barbershops would have a poster of various cuts on the wall from other countries but they weren’t actually offered and no one asked for them. Choices were limited to “Jordan (clean-shaven) and simple trims and cuts. Nowadays, what you see is what you get, and more. Men now also have a wide variety of hairstyles to choose from.

States Barber Shop and Lounge in Umoja 1, Nairobi. [File, Standard]

Locked hair

Having dreadlocks was considered criminal and was a classic sign one was a rebel. Though they still earn one the nickname ‘Ras’ from most everyone who spots the locked hair, it is a common sight now, hardly warranting a second look.

“It’s a very competitive business because you’ll find that next door there is a kinyozi, 50 metres another one, and after another 50 meters, another. For the last 10 years, I can say the improvement and the competition has been high, so you have to keep up with the trends,” says Kzee.

It means that getting customers warrants more than just a sign outside the barbershop. Serious barbershops are in it to win it and do serious marketing.

“Back in the day, you would just have a small sign by the roadside, and we expected walk-ins only. But today, even marketing is different. We have bigger and better billboards outside, we have referrals, we have online marketing, especially on Google. Online marketing is effective. We get more walk-in clients through online marketing,” says Kzee.

Cleanliness, friendliness, variety, expertise, and the ability to not only talk to but also keep your clients are the basics that one has to meet to be successful in the business.

“If the client doesn’t like your work, you have to be willing to tell them not to pay. People think when you are in this business it is about money, but you need to keep the client. If you lose them, you will be losing like 10 clients,” says Kzee.

“Because that client can go and write a review online, they will say that barbershop is bad, so you end up losing more clients. So if you give good service, that the client feels at home, you will find that you will be able to run that business for the longest. You will find someone is in the US or in the UK and will book a haircut before they come to Kenya. So you have to know what you are doing.”

Barbershops used to be the men’s exclusive domain, but Ronald Asumbo of Lamore Hair, says women have also embraced it.

“Today barbershops are not only for men. With the trend of women embracing boy cuts and colour, I would say the “female barbershops” are busier than men’s barbershops,” he says.

It is fast becoming a cutthroat industry, and yet there has been an influx of foreigners especially Rwandese and Congolese. How come? All the barbershop proprietors The Standard spoke to believe it is because they are skilled at the job. Thuo of Castro’s Mancave has a theory:

“Though not based on facts or statistics, I’d assume it would be a case of supply meeting demand. Rwandese and Congolese men are really keen on their looks (for example getting regular hair trims) compared to our country,” he says.

“Barbering on the other hand is something that can be taught to a person without necessarily enrolling in a school and with a very high number of Rwandese youth not enrolling in universities, it is probably one of the closest and easier skills to learn and start earning quick. Since people with the skill are flooded in their country and our Kenyan men just started warming up to the idea of regular trimming, it would make sense coming here where the skill is a bit scarce.”

In keeping with the Kenyan spirit of hospitality, none of the Kenyan barbershop proprietors we spoke to have a problem with it either. “They are just people who are working and earning a living, so I don’t want to say they came to take our market or anything. They are just in business like us and it is a competition,” says Kzee.

“So when you see someone is giving you competition, you have to think and see what it is you aren’t doing right so you work on it. So, I can’t say they came to take our jobs or maybe they’re doing better. We as Kenyans are also doing well in that industry.”

[email protected]