SOCIAL
Four women and the decades-old neighborhood barbershop
2016-12-26 15:20 GMT+8
362km to Beijing
Editor
Meng Yaping
Four Chinese women are confounding stereotypes by making it in the male-dominated barbershop world.
Xi Pulan, Yan Jilian, Liu Suhua and Li Yuqin were in their twenties when they first stepped into the Liangnan barbershop in Jinan, in east China’s Shandong Province.
They started as apprentices to two old barbers in the shop, which was established in the 1980s by the local government to serve the community.
Now over 30 years later, their mentors have passed away but the four women have gone from strength to strength, winning respect and their customers’ loyalty for their skills with scissors.
They even took over the business, saving it from going under when new trends and technology threatened the shop.
While their skills have developed further with time, their prices have stayed low. “We used to charge 15 cents, now just 8 yuan (1.1 USD), so still cheap,” Yan said.
Irrespective of its unique female staff, the barbershop is like many in other countries: not just a place to get a good shave but also a social spot where people can feel a sense of community.
The little barbershop has a strong reputation as a place where locals can go for a chat. “I take my son and my grandson here all the time, it’s a habit,” one customer told local media.
After 30 years one might even call it a "tradition."
(Written by Li Yezi)
362km
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