The mind-bogglingly low prices may suggest otherwise, but Chaps & Co is not the kind of place you pop in for a quick trim. A cut for less than AED100 usually involves scissors snipping at lightning speed, a quick brush-off if you’re lucky, and you’re out of the door before the chair has stopped spinning. Not here.
Chaps & Co’s website boasts it is “bringing back the old-school traditions” of the barbershop, something backed by approachable staff and a friendly atmosphere upon our arrival. With dark decor, cutthroat razors on the wall and the company name spelled out in lightbulbs, the shop interior is stylish without taking itself too seriously. And with “in-trim entertainment” comprising the pre-millennial sounds of Stereophonics, Red Hot Chili Peppers and the like, it knows its audience.
We are welcomed into the chair by a friendly British barber who either genuinely cares how our day has been or is good at pretending he does. He asks about our style, the way we part our hair and how long we wear our beard before getting to work.
Our barber takes his time over every snip and pausing regularly to make sure we’re happy with how our style is shaping up. We appreciate the fact that, unlike some of his Dubai contemporaries, he doesn’t assume he knows the best look for us.
Our cut looks smart and stylish, as is the subsequent beard trim that is likewise never rushed. After checking if our skin is sensitive, our barber then turns a steady hand to a delicate yet close neck shave before we leave the shop to an equally friendly farewell. The motto at Chaps & Co is “keep it handsome” and that is just what they are doing.
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