The barbershop scene in the Netherlands has developed to a level that is leading the way in Europe. In major cities like Rotterdam and Amsterdam, men sometimes endure five-hour waits for a haircut or shave. In return, they get chilled beer, good coffee, pleasant company, and ultimately a professional, old-school cut in a cozy atmosphere. Almost all of the trendy shops have one thing in common: amidst all the posters of vintage pomade brands and autographed photos of Clark Gable and Johnny Cash, there's an unassuming, self-taken photograph. It always shows the same down-to-earth older gentleman with a humorous expression and a short gray beard, together with the owner or the team of the respective barbershop. This photo shows Paul Kox, the unofficial pope of Dutch barbers. "The only true Godfather of barbering," as he was called in a historical magazine.
Cutting and shaving are in Paul's blood. If he didn't absorb it with his mother's milk, then presumably with hair tonic water and aftershave. His father, Paul Kox Sr., took over a barbershop in Utrecht in 1934. Paul helped out there from the age of 14. A subtle laugh resonates in almost every word he speaks and ends every sentence. When you meet him, you can tell that he loves his craft and interacting with customers. Paul and his brother John eventually took over their father's salon, moving with him from Utrecht to Breukelen in the 1970s. The salon in the Breukelen Winkelcentrum Noord shopping center has also since closed. But Paul couldn't stop. He simply reopened it for customers in his own apartment, less than 200 meters away.
Through his online shop, "The Dutch Shaving Shop," his physical store has become a small tourist attraction, visited by Dutch, Germans, and even those who have traveled from afar (e.g., Australians). One gets the impression that you can find everything here that was ever produced in connection with men's hairstyles and beards but is no longer available. This applies to both hardware and all hair care products. Paul Kox, with his decades of experience as a lover and restorer of antique straight razors, has a precise vision for the creation of his special model. For him, only a 7/8-inch wide blade with a negative etching on a partially polished surface is acceptable, which harmonizes perfectly with the hand-selected horn handles.