Say hello to my new guest blogger Brendan! He’ll be here occasionally to give you a male perspective to what’s HOT or NOT around Melbosk. A few facts about B-man:
- He took great offence at the advertising for the Campaign for Real Beauty, going so far as to write a strident letter of complaint to Dove. I’m still unclear why;
- He’s only one degree removed from blonde bombshell Hayden Panettiere (currently campaigning to save dolphins in The Cove), Ed Kavalee the host of TV Burp and an ex-drummer from Black Sabbath; and
- He’s currently tossing up an idea to publish a how-to guide to dating Asian women. Potential topics include (a) the bowel issues of switching to a rice diet, (b) dealing with being the ‘big white guy who’s going to get you’ and used as a means to threaten misbehaving kids at Asian weddings; and (c) the pitfalls of learning a tonal language where ‘mother’ pronounced badly could become a disastrous ‘horse’.
Here’s Brendan’s take on Dr Follicles, the barbershop with attitude.
Barber 1: This sounds like Ozzy Osbourne
Barber 2: It is Ozzy Osbourne
Barber 1: Oh
Barber 3: Want a beer?
Me: Yep, thanks.
Barber 3: Wait wait, this is the one with the 4 man guitar solo!
Barber 2: Three man guitar solo! It’s the tracking on this recording that makes it sound bigger.
Barber 3: Ahhh nice.
Barber 1:A little more off the fringe?
Me: Yep, thanks.
I’ve never been in a rock band. I’ve always liked the idea of it but I guess it’s a question of right place right time. Heading into my 30s I would say this time, sadly, has passed. So it was a pleasant surprise to find the next best thing at Fitzroy barber shop Dr Follicles.
First imagine a room that looks like the cover of 70s glam rock album, with said album being played, on vinyl, turned up to 11. Now picture hairdressers who look like a 70s glam rock band with a modern twist, let’s call them….Wolfmother. Being the only guy seated in the room let’s call you the drummer. With minimal hair related conversation (see dialogue above), great music, a free Coopers beer and no appointments taken, Dr Follicles feels more like being a member of Wolfmother for 30 minutes than it does a tedious trip to the hairdresser.
Oh and the haircuts are good too, a cut above (pun intended) your average barber shop for sure and at $27.50 + free beer it’s pretty hard to beat.
You can also read Brendan’s guest post about Red Spice Road here.
- Dr Follicles, 240 Gertrude St Fitzroy VIC 3065 +61 3 9416 3999
I have had several haircuts at both Richmond and St Kilda Dr. Follicles and always walked away happy with both the service and the haircut.
Unfortunatly on three seperate occasions I have been witness to some extreamly rude and bad service from one particular girl who works at the Richmond store! On each occasion she was rude and gave attitude to the client, was rough and abrupt in her approch and could not give a smile (other than a sacrcastic ‘Thanks’ after payment.). On the last visit she proceded to text several times during the haircut while water dripped down the clients face and when the client pointed out that they wanted a slight adjustment to what she had done she snapped back “You didn’t ask for that!”. To top it off after the client walked out the door she procceded to bitch about them to the others in the shop infront of other waiting clients.
I do not ask for a hardresser or barber to feel the need to talk pleasentries or chit chat during a haircut, but a smile and basic customer service should not be too much to expect.
I am in the hair, make up and beauty industry and often reccomend guys to go to Dr Follicles, but not any more!
Twitter: InkBats
| September 12, 2010, 2:43 pm
Hi InkBats
Thanks for your email. It’s disappointing to hear about such bad service. My friends tell me that at Dr Follicles there’s basically no chit chat between customers and staff, but carrying on with an attitude and texting during a haircut is poor form.
Jetsetting Joyce