Macho manis and powerful pedis: Mankind men’s salon opens
Wearing pink, shopping for clothes and getting highlights—the male sex has come a long way, but there are still a few milestones to hit, namely, having mani-pedis.
Noel Naguiat, who opened Mankind Grooming Studio for Men on Monday, remembers being laughed at when he went to a strip mall nail salon to have his nails cleaned. “It’s common for men to get manicures and pedicures in Europe and in parts of Asia, but here, a lot of guys feel embarrassed,” says Naguiat. “It shouldn’t be like that.” To create a masculine environment where men can get grooming advice without being gawked at, Naguiat, who is also an art director at an advertising agency, teamed up with his wife’s stylist, Jason Culala, to open Mankind.
The Spadina and Adelaide space is reminiscent of those old episodes of Home Improvement in which Tim Taylor would create the ultimate guy’s kitchen, bathroom and bedroom. The waiting area has a PlayStation 3 hooked up to a 65-inch LCD TV, and each grooming chair has its own TV—the client controls the channel. In the back, a giant moose head is perched above an old-school barber’s chair for pedicures. There is also a skin care bar stocked with Dermalogica products; it also serves as the manicure station (there was a queue when we arrived).
The salon offers such services as hairstyling, razor shaves, massages, waxing, facials and, yes, manicures and pedicures. The Alpha Male ($45) includes a shampoo, cut, scalp and hand massages and a hot towel face wrap that’s perfect for dry winter days. Waxing (including manscaping south of the border) ranges from $15 to $40, and a hot stone massage is $55. And for the high roller, there’s the $10,000 Man of the Year package, which offers unlimited services of any kind for 365 days. As for women accompanying their boyfriends and husbands, sorry, but this is a boys’ club.
Mankind Grooming Studio for Men, 477 Richmond St. W., Ste. 103, 416-551-1113, mankindgrooming.com.
I highly recommend a visit. Hot towel is awesome.
Interesting idea.
Will definitely send the BF for a mani/pedi!
I loved this place. I will be back. The best haircut ever and the hot towel treatment is addictive. Definitely ask for Aprille for your cut.
This place is awseome i have been their once and this is one of a kind!! beleive me when i say that i am from mississauga and travel to down town toronto just to get a cutt and not only from any one but the man him self Jason Culala!!
Obviously the owner has visited South Florida and blatantly ripped off the entire concept (name and all) from Mankind for Men Salon off Las Olas in Fort Lauderdale – they just celebrated their 5th anniversary. Nothing original about this…
How Canadian of you.
Yo Jason, Brian, and Noel!!
Hope I gave you guys a good Laugh this weekend with my butchered haircut ordeal at FIRST CHOICE CRAP Cutters.