Urban Man | Richmond

The Verdict

If you want to mix it on Swan St, fresh cuts are pretty much a given. The Richmond/Cremorne hair scene is strong these days, spurred on by boutique barbers like Dr Follicles and General Order. You can’t walk Punt Rd without seeing a well-sculpted beard or Dustin Martin buzz-cut.

Well now there’s a new men’s grooming salon on the strip: Urban Man. It’s a local business that’s growing fast (they’ve already got barbers in Hawthorn, Malvern and Brunswick). Cremorne was the next logical stop.

What sets this place apart is the experience of the staff and the quality of the products. A lot of these guys have been clipping for more than 12 years. You can kind of tell from their tatts and high-fade quiffs—they just get it. You could walk in and say ‘Make me look cool’ and be confident of walking out with a solid side-part, messy undercut or taper fade.

The Urban Man boys are also pros when it comes to grooming products, and if you’re in the market for a new wax, moisturiser, conditioner or beard oil, they can recommend a few good in-house brands (think American Crew, Uppercut Deluxe and Evo).

Oh yeah, they’re also bringing back the proper cut-throat shave. Hot towels and all. This is a service that’s coming back into vogue around town, and it’s easy to see why. Makes you feel maybe 10% more badass, and the shave is as close as you’re gonna get anywhere.

Need a kicker? Check their Insta feed: they literally do most of the Richmond team’s hair (including Dusty). We believe that’s what they call ‘the clincher’.

Image credit: Jenna Fahey-White