Groomed for Success

Amrit Harjani is the mastermind behind the success of Jakarta’s most elite barber, Marco’s Chopshop. Here, he shares his story with Maina A. Harjani

esplendent in a dark, rustic interior with yellow spotlights shining from the ceiling and soft music playing in the background coupled with the pungent scents of men’s hair wax and hair pomades, entering Marco’s Chopshop is an experience way out of the ordinary.

Located in five different spots around the city, Marco’s Chopshop currently stands out as the best barbershop in Jakarta. Amrit is the younger of two brothers and never had a profound interest in his family’s business. His passion was to always venture out into different industries and he finally chose to fill the missing gap in barbers around Jakarta.

“I had been a frequent visitor to barbers all my life and was never fully satisfied with what the city had to offer in terms of service and quality,” he tells Indonesia Tatler. “I knew exactly what I wanted but was never able to get it.”

Marco’s Chopshop places a prominent focus on its five-star offerings—the quality of its products and services ensures customer satisfaction. With its first outlet established in May 2015 in Puri Kembangan, Marco’s can now be found in Mall of Indonesia, Puri Kembangan, Puri Indah Mall, Pondok Indah Plaza 6 and Grand Indonesia.

In terms of its impeccable services, Amrit is totally hands-on when it comes to training his staff, which includes educating them in politeness, greetings, the art of making clients feel welcomed, and respecting their every want and need. However, where skill is concerned, all his staff undergo special training with the head barber.

“At Marco’s, my staff are trained to provide clients with high-quality services,” he says. “Some of our extraordinary facilities include ear-singeing, facemasks and nose waxing. I was on trips to London and Istanbul while doing my research and came across such services, which is when I decided to implement them in my own shop,” he explains.

With their modern designs that scream masculinity, each outlet shares the same interior and gets its barbers’ chairs especially flown in from Japan. “At Marco’s, It’s more than a haircut. We believe that the customer is king. Therefore, all the details that have constituted to Marco’s current position in the market have not been compromised.”

Despite the competition and daily challenges he faces as an entrepreneur, Amrit believes that as long as hard work and dedication play an important role in one’s life, nothing can stop success. His future endeavours include opening branches in South Jakarta in locations such as Senayan and Senopati, as well as expanding locally to Surabaya and Medan.

“I was determined to provide men in Jakarta with the services that were lacking in barbershops. Just as much as women need pampering, men need the same. In Marco’s, I aim to provide clients with extraordinary services and facilities. When a man thinks of a barbershop, I want him to think Marco’s Chopshop – that’s what I eventually intend to do in the country,” he concludes. ”

“When a man thinks of a barbershop, I want him to think Marco’s Chopshop.”

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