Coronavirus: It’s shear bliss to lop off lockdown locks

Monday’s easing on lockdown saw Melburnians let their locks down and head to the barber for a long overdue cut, colour and style.

Craig Kershaw, owner of the Dr Follicles barber shop in Richmond, gives local James Kechris a long-overdue haircut on Monday. Picture: Paul Jeffers

Melburnians have put up with bed hair and botched DIY jobs for the past three months, but the “bad hair year” was over on Monday with lifting of restrictions sending the “lockdown look” out of style.

Dr Follicles on Swan Street in Richmond is known for its trendiness, taxidermy animals and free Dustin Martin haircuts following the 2017 grand final win, but the skill of barber/owner Craig Kershaw to erase months of bad hair care is a new claim to fame.

While the phone has been ringing since Sunday morning with loyal customers trying to get an allotted slot, Mr Kershaw said he was concerned he might have to close one of his other shops in Fitzroy or St Kilda because of ­ongoing financial pressures linked to the lockdown.

Under the restrictions he isn’t allowed walk-ins and only three customers are able to wait inside at any time. Customers are also fitting in three months of hair growth in one appointment.

“I’m just flat out working for the landlord,” Mr Kershaw said.

While the trappings of the ­barber shop are the same, the pre-lockdown smell of hairspray has been overtaken by a eucalyptus disinfectant sterilising all of the hairdressing tools.

Mr Kershaw said people “just gave up” on their hair during lockdown and friends and family had called him as soon as the reopening was announced on Sunday to book in and feel normal again.

With about 60 customers scheduled for Monday, Mr Kershaw said he could have fitted more in but needed to space clients out to prevent a crowd.

“I think with common sense we could have opened two weeks ago,” he said. “But they were going according to a model.”

For now, though, he is just happy to be in his shop again.

“It’s a privilege to be busy and it’s great to see the phone ringing constantly and people happy to be here,” he said.

Local James Kechris was in the chair as Mr Kershaw brought his locks back to life. “It feels great, it feels normality is back,” Mr Kechris said. “The novelty of iso has worn off I think for everyone.”

Swan Street remains in lockdown with more posters calling for the easing of restrictions than posters supporting premiership champions the Richmond Tigers.

The beloved Picture Search Video store is closed, as is the nail salon across from Dr Follicles.

Restaurants and bars offer ­limited takeaway options, with Macelleria running a gourmet sausage sizzle on the sidewalk after losing about 80 per cent of its business during the pandemic and Beer and Burger Bar selling takeaway grand final packs.

Additional reporting: Remy Varga