Yogis: There's No School like the Old School
For our series highlighting our favourite neighbourhood business that our country has to offer, here's this week's feature - the legendary Yogis Barber Shop.
True icons are defined by how they withstand the test of time. Cape Town has undergone a dramatic transformation in recent years, but Yogis Barbershop, on the other hand, has been a fixture at the intersection of Buitengracht and Dorp Street for the better part of three decades – making it one of the longest-standing establishments of its kind in the Mother City.
Written by Robert Sam-Kputu for Shelflife.
The Past
As a fourth-generation barbershop, Yogis is more than just a place to get a haircut. It has a history that dates back more than a century, to 1901, when Mr Yogesh (Yogi) Govan's great grandfather sailed from India to the Western Cape to open his first barbershop – establishing a foundation that was built on by the three generations that followed.
Conveniently situated where residential and commercial properties intersect, Yogis finds itself between two worlds and brings in people from different walks of life. It serves as a place for them to connect, converse and leave looking and feeling better than when they arrived. This is a role it has had since the 1950s when Yogi’s father and grandfather opened their doors at 103 Buitengracht Street.
“You come here to cut your hair, but also catch up on gossip about the area and interesting things happening on different streets,” says Yogi. “It’s funny, those days when my dad was around, and I was a little youngster running around and irritating him while he was cutting hair, I used to hear stories from gentlemen that would just come into the barbershop to have a good old hearty chat.”
The Present
Today, the appeal of the shop is not just its vibe, history and the skill of the barbers – it’s Yogi himself. Since taking over the shop in the ‘90s, Yogi has been a constant presence. Although he’s taken a step back from cutting hair in recent years, he remains its beating heart. He is a true Renaissance man whose compassion for people can be felt.
“[To this day], my favourite thing about the shop is meeting people and chatting to them…
I mean, I have had clients that came in here single. Now they’re married, and now they and their sons cut their hair here, and it’s just so nice, man. I love to see that,” he says.
The Future
Even though Yogi doesn’t have kids of his own, he considers the barbers in his shop to be his children.
“So we teach them where we can; we tweak them where we can, and I’d love them to continue here,” he says.
As he passes on his skills, knowledge and compassion to the barbers he’s bringing up, he hopes to see the shop running for the next thirty years – establishing it as a monument in the Bo-Kaap area. This way, the barbershop will leave a lasting legacy and impact on the neighbourhood and the community he loves.
