Reykjavík Grapevine - 13.09.2019, Qupperneq 26

From Hair
To Eternity
The cities best hair saloons
Words: The Grapevine Hair Dept. Photos: Art Bicnick
Unless you plan on looking like Tom
Hanks in Castaway your whole life,
at some point, you’ll need a haircut.
In Reykjavík, there are so many plac-
es to choose from, it can feel like a
paradox of choice. Luckily, the folks
here at the Grapevine have sat for
lots of haircuts from many different
places, and we’re happy to guide you
to some of the best we’ve found.

Rakarastofa Ragnars &
Harðar
Vesturgata 48
Going to Rakarastofa Ragnars
& Harðar is like travelling back
twenty years, minus the toxic
masculinity bullshit. When you
sit in the old school barber chair
you just point at the haircut you
want from an old poster with im-
ages of different rockabilly styles.
The barbers are father and son.
If you want to go for a classic and
firm look and get some politi-
cal chit-chat in at the same time,
you choose the father. If you want
something younger and a chat
about tattoos, you choose the son.
Both, of course, are excellent bar-
bers. Also, if you want to tidy up
that beard, they are the ones to go
to. VG
Stjúri
Laugavegur 59
Stjúri is almost like an institute in
itself. Placed in the legendary gen-
tleman's store, Kormákur & Skjöl-
dur, and always dressed like a
British gentleman from the fif-
ties, he gives you a unique vibe
that is hard to find anywhere else.
Stjúri is one of the few that can
give you a solid haircut in just 15
minutes. If you’re kind, and tell a
good joke, he even gives you a co-
gnac to ease those nerves. But
don’t expect it, that’s rude. VG
Rauðhetta og úlfurinn
Skólavörðustígur 8
Rauðhetta og úlfurinn is another
institution of Reykjavík hairdress-
ing. If you want to get the cool
blonde downtown Reykjavík girl
look, look no further. It’s a hip
place right in the centre of town. A
lot of talented and ambitious hair-
stylists have taken their first steps
at Rauðhetta og Úlfurinn, which is
named for the Little Red Riding
Hood fairy tale. So take a chance
and let the wolf get into that hair.
VG
Barbarella
Suðurgata 7
Based on the name of a badass
movie heroine, Barbarella will
make sure you look your best.
Whether you’re planning to stop
an evil scientist from destroying
the world or simply going out on a
Friday night, the stylists here will
take good care of you. It’s located
very close to downtown, so if you
are going out on a Friday night,
you don’t have to go far to show off
that new ‘do. SPO
BEST OF REYKJAVÍK
Best Goddamn
Store
Winner:
Fischer
Fischersund 3
For most categories, one of
the first questions out of the
mouths of panel members was
“does Fischer qualify?” From
packaging-free shampoo, to
frequent art openings, to a spe-
cial perfume section, the store
serves up a sensory, highly
aesthetic shopping adventure.
“They are paving the way for a
new type of store in Reykjavík,”
the panel determined, prais-
ing the stores out-of-the-box
thinking, and their careful fo-
cus on customer experience.
“This is a place I barely want to
mention,” one panellist contin-
ued. “It’s so good I don’t want it
to win and get crowded!”

Runners up:
Góði Hirðirinn
Fellsmúli 28
Góði Hirðirinn, or “The Good
Shepherd,” looks like a cross be-
tween a stylish hoarder's house
and an eclectic garage sale.
Take an afternoon to rummage
around this Aladdin’s cave in
search of hidden gems, which
could be anything from old Ice-
landic manuals to blue leather
armchairs to a bag of old toys.
Drekinn
Njálsgata 23
“Drekinn is the last ‘sjoppa’ in
101 Reykjavík,” one panellist de-
clared. “It hasn’t changed over
the years, but it has remained
relevant.” This grungy conve-
nience store/vape palace/bode-
ga/hamburger joint is a remnant
of pre-tourism Reykjavík. “That
hamburger smell really takes
you back,” they concluded. “I
hope it always stays the same.”
26The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 16— 2019Best of Reykjavík
Another satisfied customer gets "The Executive"