Street side barbers might be one of Hanoi’s most iconic professions but under a new government policy it seems their days are numbered.
Every tourist fond of photography who comes to Hanoi must have at least one shot of a sidewalk barber at work. Along with the cyclo driver, the vendors in conical hats or the street side pho stall, the barber who plies his trade on the roadside is part of the rich tapestry of street life that teems through the city streets on any given day. All around the capital you will spot these makeshift barbershops with a mirror hanging off a tree or a wall, a cushioned stool for the customer and a box for their combs, scissors and razors. On certain streets such as Quang Thang or Trang Thi, you can find a hoard of barbers alongside each other, competing for drive-by clients with a friendly rivalry. But under a government policy to clear the streets of Hanoi to avoid traffic and parking congestion, the sidewalk barbers have been earmarked for the chop later this year. “I’ve been working on this street corner for nearly 20 years,” says Oanh, standing where Ly Nam De street meets Phan Dinh Phung. “Each day I serve 10-15 regulars. It’ll be a big blow to me when this new policy is put in place. This is not only my means to live but it has also become my life. These people [clients and fellow barbers] are my friends.” Just 15 years ago in Hanoi, actual barbershops would have been quite rare. Men in need of a trim simply strolled down to their local sidewalk barber. Pensioners, office workers, teachers, students, men of all ages would be perfectly happy with their al fresco haircut. But the times are changing and in recent years it is more common for men to get a hair cut at a hair salon or barbershop. Though not everyone is interested in the shampoo and blow-dry experience. More elderly or middle-aged customers are happy to stick with the sidewalk barbers as well as the more thrifty sort who can’t afford to splash out more than VND10,000 or VND 15,000 for a haircut. “Well, people might think because it’s cheap that only guys who are less well off get their hair cut on the street. For me it’s not just about the price. It’s a ritual for me as I’ve got my haircut on the street since I was a little boy,” says Hung a middle aged man from Long Bien district. On the city streets around four or six pm, you can see a cluster of men around certain popular street side barbers, chit chatting while waiting their turn. There’s no fancy hair-dos, no elaborate styles, no trend setting. It’s just variations of short back and sides for everyone. But people are also more demanding in terms of hygiene and younger generations are far from convinced that the street-side barbers razors and scissors are suitably clean. “I often wash the razor and scissors after finish each customer. I think there is no problem with hygiene here,” says Thang, who works as barber along Quang Trung street. “Certainly no one has ever complained.” But still Thang knows that regardless this time next year his street side barber shop could be history. “I cannot afford to lease a shop for myself. If I raised the price now to save money, I think I’d lose my regular customers. Anyway, even if I could open a shop, I can’t compete with the young barbers around these days.”
Every tourist fond of photography who comes to Hanoi must have at least one shot of a sidewalk barber at work. Along with the cyclo driver, the vendors in conical hats or the street side pho stall, the barber who plies his trade on the roadside is part of the rich tapestry of street life that teems through the city streets on any given day. All around the capital you will spot these makeshift barbershops with a mirror hanging off a tree or a wall, a cushioned stool for the customer and a box for their combs, scissors and razors. On certain streets such as Quang Thang or Trang Thi, you can find a hoard of barbers alongside each other, competing for drive-by clients with a friendly rivalry. But under a government policy to clear the streets of Hanoi to avoid traffic and parking congestion, the sidewalk barbers have been earmarked for the chop later this year. “I’ve been working on this street corner for nearly 20 years,” says Oanh, standing where Ly Nam De street meets Phan Dinh Phung. “Each day I serve 10-15 regulars. It’ll be a big blow to me when this new policy is put in place. This is not only my means to live but it has also become my life. These people [clients and fellow barbers] are my friends.” Just 15 years ago in Hanoi, actual barbershops would have been quite rare. Men in need of a trim simply strolled down to their local sidewalk barber. Pensioners, office workers, teachers, students, men of all ages would be perfectly happy with their al fresco haircut. But the times are changing and in recent years it is more common for men to get a hair cut at a hair salon or barbershop. Though not everyone is interested in the shampoo and blow-dry experience. More elderly or middle-aged customers are happy to stick with the sidewalk barbers as well as the more thrifty sort who can’t afford to splash out more than VND10,000 or VND 15,000 for a haircut. “Well, people might think because it’s cheap that only guys who are less well off get their hair cut on the street. For me it’s not just about the price. It’s a ritual for me as I’ve got my haircut on the street since I was a little boy,” says Hung a middle aged man from Long Bien district. On the city streets around four or six pm, you can see a cluster of men around certain popular street side barbers, chit chatting while waiting their turn. There’s no fancy hair-dos, no elaborate styles, no trend setting. It’s just variations of short back and sides for everyone. But people are also more demanding in terms of hygiene and younger generations are far from convinced that the street-side barbers razors and scissors are suitably clean. “I often wash the razor and scissors after finish each customer. I think there is no problem with hygiene here,” says Thang, who works as barber along Quang Trung street. “Certainly no one has ever complained.” But still Thang knows that regardless this time next year his street side barber shop could be history. “I cannot afford to lease a shop for myself. If I raised the price now to save money, I think I’d lose my regular customers. Anyway, even if I could open a shop, I can’t compete with the young barbers around these days.”
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