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I’m sure that, for most, my reluctance must have seemed more than a little misplaced. Nevertheless, however unfounded, my feelings walking into Truefitt & Hill’s new location in Brookfield Place were ones of doubt and hesitation. Having let my hair grow more and more long, and less and less tame over the recent months, I have no doubt that, to the skilled eyes at work there, it was readily apparent that the experience I was about to go through was not the kind that I was accustomed to. And it certainly was not.

As I stepped into the shop, I was immediately impressed by the elegant, timeless tone of my surroundings. At the same time, however, I felt almost intimidated by the rich mahogany shelves, and broad, gold-framed mirrors, whose appearance, admittedly, was a great deal more polished than my own. But, not surprisingly, the deeper I felt myself sinking into one of the shop’s beautiful antique chairs, the more at ease I became. As the locks of hair began to fall away, so too did my uncertainty. I found that I was truly taken aback by the lengths that the staff were willing to go to in order to make my experience a comfortable and enjoyable one, and was probably the most surprised to find that my first manicure was not one met with embarrassment. I found the service I received to be unlike anything else I had experienced before. This, I am told, is not by coincidence.

“It’s the service we’re after, and maintaining the Truefitt & Hill name,” explains Sita de Zoysa as I am guided to my seat. And quite the name it is. With a history stretching as far back as 1805, and members of the British monarchy among its long list of satisfied clientele, the company is proud to maintain its tradition of offering gentlemen – quite literally – the royal treatment. “We’ve really taken it to new levels,” says owner Rick Ricci. After witnessing the amount of effort that went into making my stay there a pleasant one, it’s a claim I have a hard time disputing.

With this most recent addition in Brookfield Place, Truefitt & Hill now seems better equipped than ever in its attempts to bring a stylish haircut or clean shave to each and every male PATH-goer who might be in the market for a new look. “This location just opened in April, and we’re very excited about it,” Rick tells me. And who wouldn’t be? The new shop is poised to be a booming success, boasting a quality of services that it’s less sophisticated competitors are hard pressed to contend with. But perhaps that’s not the right way to put it. “I don’t think we have to compete, we feel we offer something unique,” Sita explains.

Somewhere between my hot lather shave and complementary massage, I begin to understand what she means. And I agreed, finding myself truly humbled by the level of care and attention that each and every member of the staff invested in their craft.

I suppose this is why, by the end of my experience, a thought that at first had been foremost in my mind had long since drifted away. Upon stepping into the shop, the first thing I noticed was the impressive golden picture frames that enclosed each mirror. With reluctance still dominating my thoughts, I reflected on how I’ve always been warned to be wary of putting unsightly paintings in beautiful frames. I suppose that is what I feared I would find waiting for me at the end of my experience. I was afraid to end up staring back at myself through my own flawed appearance, one whose faults were made all the more evident by the wonderful golden frame that surrounded it. But this (I hope it’s not too bold to say) was not the case. As anyone who takes the opportunity to visit them will find, the good people at Truefitt & Hill will listen to you, will value you, and not only insofar as it will help them give you the haircut or shave you’re in search of. If not through the luxury they treat you to, then through the respect and warmth they treat you with, they are sure to make you feel even better than they’ll end up making you look.

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