AK Grooming Room, located on Above Bar Street, won the regional Best Barber award and will now compete nationally in this category.
Owner AK Serdar, 36, has 23 years of experience as a barber, starting out as a tea boy at the age of 13 and learning from his father, older brother and cousin as a teenager.
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His family taught him that real experience comes from attention to detail. That's what we believe AK Grooming Room does better than anyone else.
“We put fire on the ears. Each haircut includes a wash, and we touch the eyebrows a little bit and wash them with a hot towel.”
While there is no shortage of barbershops throughout Southampton, in AK there are only two authentic Turkish restaurants in the city, and some that have other origins but use Turkish names. I think there is.
“The problem is Turkish barbershops. They get a very bad reputation for this and that, but we've been here since 2017 and we're here to change that.”
The barbershop was also nominated for the award last year, but did not receive further nominations due to staff furloughs.
The AK Grooming Room provides a hair rinse and hot towel wash with each cut. This is a detail you won't find in most barbershops.
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After the razor touch-up of the throat, the famous otitis begins next. This is done by a barber using a flame stick to burn the long hair around the ears.
“People come in and are surprised, but we offer them drinks,” said Courtney Moody, who runs social media for AK Grooming Room.
“Keeping Turkish barbering techniques alive is now more difficult. Turkish barbershops are often maligned, but our service will never change and we are proud to be recognized with this award.” I’m glad.”
AK Grooming Room is also famous for its “doorman” cat, Wiggle, who has been roaming above Bar Street since 2018.