Stepping into barbershop/tattoo parlor Brash at Anken Alley on Shaanxi Bei Lu, it’s easy to see why the rawness of the 140-square-meter space is attracting creative types and hipsters from all walks of life around the city.
“We want to separate Doc Guthrie’s from [this shop],” says founder Dylan Byrne. “And I want to be in the background, it’s all about [the team here].”
Unlike the old school style shaves and haircuts offered at Doc Guthrie’s, Brash embraces new styles and designs.
“It’s a modern take on barber culture. We do lines, bald fades, pompadours, Mohawks, and things like that. We’re also developing our own modern shave using steam and natural essential oils (instead of the traditional hot towel and soap),” head barber Lexzavier Black tells us.
In tattoo artist ATao’s department, which is sealed off from the rest of the shop for sanitation, colorful tattoo ink bottles are neatly lined up on the shelf and a collection of reference books on his art form.
Byrne and Black also plan to use the shop as an event space for local brands with a focus on urban culture, which is easily achievable since most of the equipment in the haircutting area can be wheeled to the back.
Black adds, “We’re very grassroots, so we want to support other up-and-coming startups too. They can set up a pop-up shop here, have your art displayed here. We’re looking to do stuff like that here – a creative space at a low cost or free for people who are looking to build and expand.”
See a listing for Brash.
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Images by Zhong Xinyi
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