Lookin’ sharp

There are cute guys, scruffy dudes, ruggedly good-looking men and your average joes out there, but Mojo Barbershop is out to bring back old-fashioned handsome, with posted signs that implore "Stay Handsome Hawaii" and promotional comb packaging that reads, "Stay Handsome, Not Hamajang."

The traditional barbershop, with its intimate shaving ritual, has come back strong across the mainland for a new generation that has grown up accustomed to pampering and eager to embrace the latest trends. It started with coddling parents, then progressed to regular massages and treating themselves to small luxuries ranging from edibles to the latest in grown-up toys and gadgets.

Although there are still barbershops in town that offer a shave and a haircut, Marian Lee and Matt Leo bring it to a downtown clientele more accustomed to full-service coed salons, where, waiting among women, the men "looked so uncomfortable," Lee said.

Mojo Barbershop, at 1157 Bethel St., was designed completely with the male species in mind, with trunks full of vintage surf and Playboy magazines and a man cave where customers can plop into a La-Z-Boy in front of a flat-screen TV while enjoying a gentleman’s hand-and-foot detailing service ($30) or detox face treatment ($40) — no feminine-associated "mani-pedi" or facial on the services menu here.

MOJO BARBERSHOP Grand opening » Where: 1157 Bethel St. » When: 7 to 11 p.m. Friday; regular hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays » Info: 927-8017

The owners have even applied for a liquor license, although Lee said the process is taking longer than usual because theirs would be the first barbershop to have one.

"It took a lot of research; it took a year to bring it from concept to reality," said Lee, but it has paid off with a space that captures the ambience of a 1950s barbershop, so much so that it looks as if it has always been at home on Bethel Street — from its newly tiled, vintage-looking floor to a nostalgic collection of glass bottles and a hand-lettered services menu created by a contemporary automobile pinstriper.

On Maui the couple found a 1920s barber chair they reupholstered in blue palaka-print fabric, and a bulletin board features photographs of men gleaned from vintage and antique shops.

Dating from the ’40s through the ’60s, they tell a story of men looking sharp at all times, at work and at play. What woman wouldn’t want to bring that back in style? Although fashion editors and art directors tried to bring hairy back a few years ago, that never caught on in the mainstream, where hirsute men only leave women wondering, "What’s he hiding?"

LEE GREW up here, and after earning her master’s in business administration, she ended up living in Portland, Ore., where her husband, Leo, also a local boy, had grown accustomed to — or spoiled by — the barber culture there.

In school, Lee entertained notions of running a fashion business, but with Leo missing the barbershop environment so much, they were inspired to create a place for him and men like him who might not yet know what they’re missing. And, Lee said, it helps that more men are adopting the classic, polished "Mad Men" look. The Art of Manliness website even posted "The ‘Mad Men’ Guide to a Manly Haircut," advising males how to ask for the specifics of a Don Draper, Pete Campbell or Roger Sterling haircut.

A basic $30 haircut at Mojo Barbershop seems like a luxury when it includes razor cleanups and finishing with a mint hot towel. A cut and a shave is $65, and every shave starts with a fresh razor.

The fun begins Friday with the barbershop’s grand opening during the First Friday celebration, with a Hawaiian blessing and Chinese lion dancers at 7 p.m. followed by entertainment by DJ Delve and DJ Kause. Look for the barber’s pole toward the Beretania end of the street.

One of the first to sit in the barber’s chair for two demonstrations prior to the grand opening was Jered Branco, who said the shave and detox face treatments were so relaxing, he fell asleep both times.

He said the straight razor is nothing to fear. "I love the shave. It’s a really great experience. They talk you through the process so you know what to expect, how to turn your head, and it starts with a hot towel that feels really good," Branco said.

Mojo Barbershop carries men’s personal-care products from Malin+Goetz, and Baxter of California, and Branco said he’s already adopted a new skin-care regimen that has cut down on oiliness and acne.

Lee said she envisions hosting pre-wedding parties for grooms and groomsmen, who might need a close shave to avoid a 5 o’clock shadow after a long day of ceremonies and receptions.

Although you would think it may be difficult to find people trained in using a straight razor in this day and age, one of Mojo Barbershop’s barbers hails from New York, where there is a rich culture of specialty barbershops, and the Hair Institute of Hawaii does offer training, although Lee said those she hired were surprised they are able to put their skills to work.

"A lot more men’s boutiques have opened up here, and a lot more men have become focused on looking good and groomed," she said.

Mojo Barbershop is participating in the Manifest Man Challenge, a spinoff of the international Movember Men’s Challenge, during which men pledge not to shave during the month of November. The shop is offering a free shave to the winner and a discount to isle residents who register for the challenge. Visit www.manifesthawaii.com for details.