Mwende Frey's Viral Barbershop Whose Employees Twerk For Clients

Running a barbershop anywhere on Earth used to be a business venture reserved only for men. This is simply because there are no other species in the world that knows the ins and outs of a man's hairstyle...and no one who does haircuts better than men do.

Barbershops in Kenya are dotted everywhere, even close to your residence. However, some men opt for specific barbers to cater to their styles as they are assured of not making mistakes such as using the wrong shaver, or haircare products among others; in other words, it is a delicate business whereby one requires top-notch skill.

It was almost unheard of for women to take up the challenge of offering quality haircuts to men. Fridah Mwende, alias Mwende Frey, decided to venture into the barbershop business also comprising of a masculine atmosphere whereby men could banter about life and politics and football and complain about their wives’ cooking, in a way that seems like a dream in their sleep.

Mwende Frey and her employees at Man's Chamber Barbershop. /TWITTER.MWENDE FREY

At the age of 27, Mwende runs the Man's Chamber Barbershop and Spa at Kamaki's along the Eastern Bypass in Ruiru (near the Thika Road roundabout, opposite Delta petrol station) and for only Ksh500, you can get a haircut and have her female staff twerk for you- for free!

She opened the business in mid-March 2022 with the specific aim of attending only to male clients and two weeks into her new venture, she showcased her body and twerking skills on social media to advertise her business, despite the controversy it generated, especially on Twitter.

She has posed risque, blown kisses, made kinky faces, twerked and splashed Twitter with her little, kinky antics to hit the news to generate leads in form of potential clients for her outlet, and the response has been beyond her expectations.

"When you say I'm sexualizing the business by twerking, what do you mean? Women twerk in clubs every day and they don't get paid. I get paid to do this, so why not," she confidently told Citizen Digital in an interview in April. 

"I'm sexy, I'm fabulous, I'm confident in my body, I'm a beautiful woman, why should we hide? It has worked for this business, men love seeing nice things, and no man wants to go for a haircut and then they are caressed by rough hands, here you meet soft hands, soft voices and beautiful girls."

She further denied claims that her barbershop is likened to a brothel, affirming that her female staffers accord clients the same high-level treatment that barbershops in affluent Nairobi areas give at a price higher than hers.

Mwende warned wives to ensure that they treat their husbands like kings anytime they return home to avoid scenarios of seeking solace from the Man's Chamber Barbershop where the staff do the job better.

"This is not a brothel, it's a grooming den for kings where they are served by African maidens. If you don't want your man to come here, wash his feet when he comes home, give him a massage, and make him look pretty otherwise he will come here. Actually, you should be thanking us for doing the work you're not," she yawps.

Mwende's shop is a buzzing buffet of gorgeous, zippy girls prancing around in their lacquered hair, tight outfits, scarlet-red lips, perky busts and pleasant scents.

They swagger around the place, inviting clients, wiping stuff around, peeking into the mirrors, talking animatedly and doing cheeky, little shakes of their God-blessed behinds as they take orders from Mwende who just can't stop blathering.

‘Man's Chamber’ even has full-time 'Twerk Queens' whose job is to dance suggestively to male clients while they have their hair cut, a matter which has received resounding satisfaction.

"I've got a lot of beautiful women here who twerk for our customers all day long, from morning to evening. It's part of what we offer here and we see absolutely nothing wrong with that," Mwende says.

In perspective, you pay a stripper to twerk for you in a strip club and not many random women would be open to twerking for you in a club setting. Mwende thus offers you a similar twerking experience while the only thing you have to pay for is your haircut.

Man's Chamber has since morphed into other affiliate options such as a bar named Barzilla Lounge next to the barbershop whereby clients flocked to watch 2022 FIFA World Cup matches while also getting a massage.

It even has its own website where clients can book their appointments online. According to spot checks by Viral Tea, for Ksh500 one gets a haircut style of your choice, a facial scrub, head, neck and shoulder massage as well as entertainment (the twerking); and Ksh700 for both a hair and beard trim.

Also on offer are full-body massage options ranging from Swedish, Deep Tissue, Aromatherapy, Back, and half-body massage at Ksh2,000 per hour and full body scrub at Ksh1,500. There's also a manscaping option for those who want to groom their privates, and that goes for Ksh1,500 as well.

Some of the famous clientele to have visited Mwende's barbershop include Sipangwingwi hit maker Exray, who also played a key role in President William Ruto's campaigns, and Radio Maisha presenter Billy Miya.

The facility has even been featured by German state-owned international broadcaster DW who interviewed her in May 2022.

The first bar in Kenya where you drink while getting a head massage! Plus beers go for @230 bottle/can. Only at Uncle Booze, next to Mans Chamber spa pic.twitter.com/VsXbOjPab9 — Mwende Frey (@mwendefrey) October 16, 2022