The Terminal Barber Shop: One of Toronto’s Best

In a day when good, traditional service is hard to come by, the last place I expected to be was in the cosmopolitan hustle of Bay and Dundas Streets.

But sitting there — modestly, tranquilly — in the middle of it all is a time capsule that is quite possibly the best barber shop in the city. The Terminal Barber Shop, in its small space beside Toronto’s coach bus terminal, is like a step back into the beautiful, mahogany-hued world of Mad Men…. except smoking and immorality are replaced with skillful haircuts and wonderful shaves. Class and style thrive amidst the supple burgundy, authentic 19th-century chairs and ambient jazz. The service is impeccable.

I went in for a shave after a word-of-mouth recommendation and immediately felt like I was “part of the club” – despite the club clearly welcoming any patron who comes in the door. One of the store’s owners, Karim Saaden, welcomed me in for a shave.

“It’s a dying art, you know,” he said after I told him it was my first professional shave. “Not many places offer it anymore. You barely see it. We value the tradition.” And no doubt is Saaden an artist. He told me to lie back for a 15-minute nap, but I forced myself to stay awake to enjoy the sensuous magic before me. The creams, the hot towels, the aftershave… Amazing! By the time we were finished, I didn’t know which way was up. 

I still don’t remember how much I tipped the man, but he was definitely smiling, too. By that point, it almost seemed natural that the money was neatly placed into an 1866 New York cash register. I can also vouch for the haircuts. My friend who recommended the place has the best cut he’s had in years.

Saaden is from Algeria, which is in Northern Africa. He had a shop there for more than 20 years and just took over the Terminal Barber Shop in 2005. Sadden owns the shop with Omar Mahrouk. They offer service in three languages: English, French and Italian.

The Terminal Barber Shop experience is not only upscale but also incredibly convenient, being at a transit hub in between the financial district and Yorkville. Saaden and Mahrouk offer everything you’d want out of a shave or cut, and in what feels like seconds you can be back to your day. 

And it goes beyond the barbers: The whole shop is a cut above.• 

Get all the details you need from terminalbarbershop.com.

Photo by Crystal Woroniuk.