Delhiwale: A Khan Market haircut, at Gole Market rates

This saloon retains its old-world charm even while surrounded by new wealth

The old Khan Market exists in memories alone.

This salon opened in 1952, a year after the setting up of Khan Market. (Mayank Austen Soofi / HT Photo)

Sovereign Dairies is gone. Raj Sweet Shop is gone. Empire Stores is gone. Caryhom Ice Cream is gone. Modern Hair Dressers is gone. Pat a Cake is gone. The Music Shop is gone. The Book Shop is gone. Bharat Hair Dresser… no, it’s still here!

This salon opened in 1952, a year after the setting up of Khan Market, which remained a homely neighbourhood bazaar until the 1990s — when it transformed into a high-end shopping destination.

Like the last man standing in the wake of a nuclear holocaust, Bharat Hair Dresser continues to retain the character of a shop-around-the-corner. The Hindi-speaking barbers gossip about the morning headlines and the price for a shave is ₹80 – you’ll pay more for a glass of orange juice in any of the restaurants next door.

In Khan Market today there is new wealth and new crowd. As rents soar, more old-timers will vanish, and more familiar storefronts will disappear. Can Bharat Hair Dresser survive as a small business establishment?

Before the inevitable happens, come here to get yourself groomed for ₹100.