“I liked the atmosphere of our old location,” says owner Anna S. Pálsdóttir. “People would come upstairs and do more than get a haircut; they’d be browsing through clothes or listening to music. I really liked that feeling, and it’s something I wanted to recreate here.”
Gallerí Gel certainly does achieve a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. Instead of the stark decor of most salons, Gallerí Gel looks more like someone’s home, replete with armchairs, a couch, and somewhat kitschy lamps and wallpaper. The greater portion of the space is the gallery itself, where the work of local artists share space with two turntables and a stack of vinyl.
“Most of our clients are younger people, kids in university,” Pálsdóttir told me when I stopped in to try the hipster hair gallery. I was sent at the request of the editor who insisted that one of the best things to buy while visiting Iceland was a trendy haircut. And, having had the same hairstyle for twenty years, he suggested it might be time for an update.
From shampoo to finish, Pálsdóttir kept me relaxed—while her gallery serves the hippest of the hip, she was happy to give me a do that didn’t require large amounts of gel or hair swooping. After a half an hour, I had an honest update, a hairstyle that was not for kids, but that was current.
Total cost for shampoo and cut for men is 2,700 ISK. For women, 3,700 ISK. Call ahead as Gel only has two chairs.
Gallerí Gel. Hverfisgata 37. 101 Reykjavík. 551-7733.