Middle-aged female barbers in Hanoi’s subsidy-period barbershops

This special barbershop is located in Trang Thi Street, in Hanoi’s hub. Before the Doi Moi (renovation) period, which started in 1986, the barbershop was managed by the state-owned Hanoi Food Services Company, now the Hanoi Tourism Service Company (Hanoi Toserco). In 1957 many State-owned barbershops were established in Hanoi to serve civil servants and other people, and all of them were under the management of the Hanoi People’s Committee. After 1986, these barbershops were shut down for many reasons. The one on Trang Thi Street is the only one that is still open. Previously this barbershop had 20 employees; the number has dropped to 11 people, including six female workers. The two female barbers named Yen and Hue, both 49 years old, serve dozens of customers each day.  Yen said her father was a barber so she learned the job from him. In the past, Hanoi had only a few barbershops and customers had to queue to be served. The barbershop on Trang Thi initially served only state employees but later its range of customers was expanded to ordinary people. Each day Yen and Hue serve about 20 customers within seven hours. Their clients include many high-ranking officials, middle-aged and elderly people. Many elderly people have been customers of this barbershop for more than 40 years. There is an old man who catches the bus to get a haircut at this barbershop once a month. Each barber has his or her own customers. The barber and customers talk like friends during the haircut. Some children and foreigners also come here for haircuts. Besides the traditional hairstyle, barbers here can give a haircut according to customer’s descriptions. All barbers have 20-30 years of experience. Every day, they work for seven hours to earn VND5-VND6 million ($250-$300) per month. They were invited to work for modern beauty salons but they all refused because they have been working here for decades. The two female barbers named Van, 43, and Yen (right) read newspapers during their free time.

Source: vietnamnet.vn

Middle-aged female barbers in Hanoi’s subsidy-period barbershops

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