Oh, Orchid Ave. Home of debauchery and kebab wrappers. You aren't the most accommodating road for…read morethose who favour an alternative approach to the clothing they don. Some (read: all) of us are familiar with the southern most venues, rarely venturing further north in the unknown recesses of the strip. Those rocking the pompadour that venture this far have either missed Elsewhere in a drunken stupor or are taking the back route to BCL. The Opening of Mods and Rockers in 2010 has given us one more legitimate excuse, offering haircuts and a return to tradition with the cutthroat straight shaves.
It can be easy to miss this quaint barbershop, nestled between some very antithetical businesses. The distinct scooter parked out front is gone come closing time, and let's face it, when the hell are you sober on this street let alone here during the daytime? Fortunately, speakers blaring with the huskiness of Tom Waits' voice or the surreal music of Pink Floyd should point you in the right direction.
Encapsulating the rawness and behavioural traits of the 50s through to the 70s, the owner, Lee, has dressed the place up to the nines. Three retro, fully reclinable chairs are lined up, ready to receive their next client, and even without a reservation system in place, the walk-in clientele keeps at least two of the three occupied regularly. Textured, colourful street art decorates most of the white walls, adding to the psychedelic atmosphere reaching out to lick you upon entry. As you wait, you're sucked into a new period separate from most else on the Gold Coast.
Take the following as you will, but this barbershop is more or less a men's club, unashamedly embracing that mentality. With their refreshing and social demeanour, and offerings of complimentary beer and whisky while you wait, Mods and Rockers is the ideal respite from Surfers Paradise. Whether guys are looking for a trim or an impromptu Friar hairstyle, a scanty $25 is all that is required. Cutthroats obviously cost a little extra but they're well worth experiencing at least once. For those that have yet to try it, I'll say the experience is pretty damn cool.
Lee and Mods and Rockers are a part of a once-quiescent culture, slowly rousing and making waves in the Gold Coast community. The predominant Jersey Shore-ness of Surfers is slowly being diluted, making way for a more heterogeneous community that may one day cease to reference bundles of sticks on a whim, something in which I'm increasingly upbeat about.
Go here. Get a haircut. Immerse yourself in the art of the shave.
