Stylo Indian Barbershop, Kuala Lumpur

Over coffee after a fine Indian meal, Angeltini opened up a Kuala Lumpur tourist map that she had with her.

One of the suggested ‘Things To Do’ was to get a haircut at the oldest commercial barbershop in the country.

Doesn’t that sound ABSOLUTELY fascinating? Wouldn’t YOU want to have your hair cut in Malaysia’s oldest hair saloon?? I looked at Jon and offered, “I’LL PAY FOR YOUR HAIRCUT IF YOU LET ME TAKE PHOTOS!”

He said, “YES LET’S DO IT!” Off we went in search of “Kedai Gunting Rambut Stylo” along Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock (formerly Foch Avenue/ Jalan Foch).

The iconic Stylo has been at this same location since 1937.

Stylo’s founder, the late P.A. Thangayah trained to be a barber in Sri Lanka. In 1931, he came to British Malaya and in 1937, set up Stylo. The shop has been through two fires, a car crash, a bus crash and a flood, and it’s still standing strong!

In 1960, his son, T. Madhirajan took over the family business. Now Madhirajan’s youngest son, M. Mathenan works alongside his father, managing ten barbershops in the Klang Valley with plans for expansion.

Please stop crashing into their shop.

Unlike the Chinese migrants in British Malaya who found work based on their ethnicity, there are existing hereditary barber castes or clans in India. Even though it is a noble profession – you don’t allow just anyone to come near your throat with a sharp blade – there is a societal sneer to the barber profession with implications that it is a lowly trade.

Maybe not so much in Malaysia. In any case, the demand for trained Indian barbers is so great that barbershops here have to constantly bring in trained Indian barbers from.. uhm, India.

This writing thing, is hard sometimes…

Step inside Stylo and you’ll find four classic stainless steel Takara barber chairs, two on each opposite side facing a mirror. While waiting for your turn, take in the Tamil songs playing on the radio and be good-natured about being stared at by other customers, many of them migrant workers.

“Hmm would I look good in that…”

Jon, being familiar with Indian barbershops told the barber, “I want number 2!”

It was exactly like ordering a menu item. Later I found out that the numbers refer to the types of blades that the barbers would use. If you ask for Number 1, you’d get a butch cut. A Number 2 would get you a crew cut.

A barber’s tools: Oils, talcum powder, combs, scissors, clean disposable blades, brush..

Traditionally you’d get a head and bone-breaking shoulder massage with your haircut. But being the oldest barbershop in Malaysia means you have to up your levels all the time. The smiling barber, much amused at my photo-taking, gestured for me to see what he was about to do…

… which was to take out a big iron-like thing, pressed it onto Jon’s shoulders, electronically massaging and soothing his tensed muscles.

“What was it like?” I asked Jon.
“IT WAS LIKE TEN THOUSAND EARTHQUAKES ALL HAPPENING AT ONCE!”

I guess he enjoyed it.

And that was that. Paid RM13 to take some photos, learn about the history of a long-standing shop, make a friend happy with a new haircut, and get a blog post out of it? I’d say that was money well-spent!

Stylo Hair Dressing Saloon
(Kedai Gunting Rambut Stylo)
1, Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock
50100 Kuala Lumpur.

Near Chinatown and Central Market, near CIMB Bank.