When a small historic building came available in the heart of Bridgeland, business partners Mike Hope (owner of Murdoch's Bar & Grill) and Shayne Perrin (owner of Blue Star Diner and Dairy Lane Cafe) jumped at the opportunity to finally launch an experimental venture they’d been discussing – a combination cocktail bar and barbershop inspired by the speakeasies of the prohibition era. “It kind of happened over a game of tennis,” Mike explains. “Shayne and I had been talking about doing something for a while and he mentioned that this space was coming available. We thought a cocktail bar would be cool in here, and to have a barbershop as part of the cocktail bar.“
Inspired by a little bar in New York City called Blind Barber, Mike and Shayne (whose grandfather was a barber) opened Cannibale as Calgary's barbershop-fronted modern speakeasy. “A lot of the old barber shops were fronts for speakeasies,” explains Mike. “When the chemicals and stuff were being shipped in, it didn’t look suspicious. It was actually hooch, but it being guised as Barbicide and other chemicals for barbering.”
True to its speakeasy origins, Cannibale is, in fact, fronted by a single chair barbershop entrance that offers haircuts, shaves and beard trimming services. Appointments are recommended and can be booked online, but walk-ins are usually available on Sunday afternoons as well as at the barbershop’s second location inside Kent of Inglewood.
Think your friends might be familiar with this business? Ask your friends on Facebook to see what they think.
Hidden behind a full-service, single-chair, old timey barbershop storefront, Cannibale is intentionally secretive in an entirely tongue-in-cheek kind of way. The tiny bar in the back is comfortably cool and features both pre- and post-prohibition cocktails as well as revival classics and bartender originals.
View this Smart ListThis stylish Bridgeland eatery serves up Bear and Flower Farms pork belly, fermented blueberry vinaigrette, cucumber salsa and hot sauce yogurt with cilantro as its entry into this year's Fiesta.
View this Smart ListWith a one-seat barbershop out front, Cannibale is the pinnacle of cocktail cool in Calgary, but its kitchen also puts out some bites that go far beyond typical bar snacks. The beef tartare is made with AAA Silver Sage tenderloin, simply dressed with truffle powder and an egg yolk and served with crostini.
View this Smart List