P.Kai Hairdressers

...a new (ish) hairdressers called p.kai that has appeared in my local Tesco Extra (Funnily enough I have a Op on that – why not check it out if you haven’t already!). So I went in, had a look nearly fainted at the prices! For a gent’s shampoo, cut and finish I was going to pay £16.00 if a stylist did it, £18.00 if a senior stylist did it or £24.00 if Kai did the “nut cut”, Kai being the owner.
So taking a deep breath and keeping my mind off ...
...Tesco Extra and wait for p.kai to open. It opens its huge shutter doors at about 9.55 and 3 smiling assistants one of whom asks if I’m Phil, that’s a good start, greet me! I’m led to a seating area, where they have magazines and “free” coffee etc. I’m sat for about 5 minutes, as people come in sit down and then are collected by their stylists. My stylist (senior stylist) collects me and takes me to his workspace, and goes through what I’m after. ... more

Being a typical Cornish “tight wad” I have either cropped my own hair with the clippers (No 1 all over) or gone to the cheapest hairdressers in town. I never felt the need to do anything with my hair.
This way of thinking possibly stemmed from being a fire fighter in my past… short hair is easy to manage, doesn’t need much looking after and you don’t have to fill your hair with gunk!

Well, Friday the 10th of September 2004 saw an end of all that! For the past 2 months I have been growing my hair from the Grade 1 clippering I last gave it – it has looked an awful mess, but I feel the need to modernise and update myself.

So over the past few days I have been looking for a decent hairdresser in my local area. We have a Toni & Guy in the fabled city of Peterhorror, uh, Peterborough, but I am not paying Toni & Guy prices (being the typical Cornish tight wad that I am).

What I did find was a new (ish) hairdressers called p.kai that has appeared in my local Tesco Extra (Funnily enough I have a Op on that – why not check it out if you haven’t already!). So I went in, had a look nearly fainted at the prices! For a gent’s shampoo, cut and finish I was going to pay £16.00 if a stylist did it, £18.00 if a senior stylist did it or £24.00 if Kai did the “nut cut”, Kai being the owner.
So taking a deep breath and keeping my mind off the money, I tried to make an appointment – nope, no walk in’s available. Friday? Nope fully booked. Saturday? Again fully booked! Oh go on then! Sunday! Nope fully booked…
Hmmm working days Mon, Tues, Weds & nights Thur, Fri & Sat… So the very polite and helpful (…. and very lovely girl) advises that I ring up at 7 that evening to see if there are any cancellations, which I do.
1 cancellation – Yaaay! I get an appointment for the next morning at 10.00 I’m now a happy bunny.

I take a web cam photo of my current hairstyle as I plan to write an op on the experience.

- CLICK –

Friday dawns, I get up at 6 to get everything ready for the boys – clothes, packed lunches with bloody expensive Yeo Valley organic Fromage Frais that they have acquired a taste for - thanks Jill Murphy.
All too soon it’s 9.30 so I make my way to Tesco Extra and wait for p.kai to open. It opens its huge shutter doors at about 9.55 and 3 smiling assistants one of whom asks if I’m Phil, that’s a good start, greet me! I’m led to a seating area, where they have magazines and “free” coffee etc. I’m sat for about 5 minutes, as people come in sit down and then are collected by their stylists. My stylist (senior stylist) collects me and takes me to his workspace, and goes through what I’m after. I explain that I have had short hair for about 13 years and just wanted to update my appearance and look a bit more modern. He suggests a grade 2 clipper low back and sides, blended in then a scruffy look up top without taking too much off allowing the top to grow out a bit more.
I’m happy with the advice, and am then led over to the hair-washing bit; another lovely girl washes my hair. Mmmmm having my hair washed by someone else feels great, all to soon I’m taken back to my senior stylist, who fusses with my hair a bit then begins work. I have to admit, for the duration of the cut it was very quiet, he never once engaged me in chat, idle or otherwise, this made me feel a little awkward, but the big mirrors allowed me to see what he was doing to me and on a bonus, I could keep my eye on all the ladies in the salon :o) also I’m glad they are playing decent dance music in the background, this is slightly ruined due to the fact there is a Senior Citizen in one of them electric buggies, trying to heave her bulk out of the buggy and into a chair to have her hair washed, I’m not ageist or anything, it just looked wrong…

The hair experience lasted about ½ an hour all in all and the results I’m very happy with, he showed me how to set my hair and the type of stuff to use! (No VO5 for me or Wax etc. I’m a clay man now!!).

Once I was shown my hair from the usual angles I was escorted to the paying area and left in the capable hands of the receptionist, who asked if I was happy with the cut, I was then asked if I wanted any products, at the time I declined, she then asked if I wanted to book my next appointment, again I declined – what with shift patterns and child care issues I have to plan the experience carefully, especially as I plan to take both boys for a haircut next time round.

I was charged £18.00 for the experience and I tipped £2.00 (again, I know! I’m a tight Cornishman)

So out of 10 what would I rate p.kai? Well this time I would say 8 out of 10, I was more than happy with my cut, but I would liked to have been engaged in conversation. But this hasn’t put me off the place; it may simply have been the guy’s way!

The shop itself looks very clean, modern and is well laid out; it’s trendy, as are the staff. The waiting area is oddly enough in the middle of the shop and you are shielded somewhat by the coffee area and a room divider (where they keep a selection of their products – my work head suggested that it’s ideal for shop lifters!) the seating is modern and trendy and a deep purple in colour – I quite liked it, they also had a fair few mags (which were all fairly up to date! No 1970’s copies of horse and hounds or Country life in here!!) They did however have a copy of the Sun and the Mail – then again they do cater to kids and I guess infants like to read…

p.kai also offer a whole range of stuff, mainly for women, these includes colouring, volume and curl, straitening & treatment, extensions, ear piercing, I also saw a woman doing someone’s finger nails.

Senior Citizens and NUS cardholders get 25% off on Wednesdays (except on products) and they also look out for models for Wednesday nights where you just pay for the cost of materials.

So all You Peterborough (or Close by) peeps! If you Fancy a change from your local Stylist, and want to update your appearance I’d certainly recommend p.kai or if your looking for somewhere new because you hate waiting inline for the ‘old dears’ to finish having their blue rinses redone go make an appointment with p.kai. Modern hairdressing I believe is the way ahead –

As for this “Tight as a gnats chuff” Cornishman, well I’m converted. I look more modern, I feel great – which for me is nice ;o)

p.kai hair
The website www.pkai.co.uk
The telephone number 01733 358835

Going to have to get blackanddarkness to try this place also to convert him to hair clay from gel! Possibly even a taste test lol. Try the following link for his taste test on Lynx: -

http://www.ciao.co.uk/Lynx_Deodorant_Spray__Review_5438077

**********QUICK UPDATE***************

The teddy is Alister, he sleeps with Sam, but just lately Alister has been having bad dreams and getting scared at night, so sam brings him in to my room so that we can both cuddle Alister - well that's Sams version anyway....
so the teddy gets plenty of cuddles
 

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