Trends in Barbering

I predict that Vietnamese-Americans will takeover the barber business in the US just as they have the nail biz. I went to the Ballston Barbershop recently and to my surprise, all the barbers (and there were at least 8) were polite, smiling,Vietnamese-American ladies. First, the hot scented towel over the head. Then your face is washed with another hot towel. Then comes the haircut which is followed by a neck and shoulder massage. Then out comes a rubber-tipped pile-driving machine that pounds your shoulders, neck and head into relaxed mush. Then comes the straight razor shave - something I hadn't seen except in old Mayberry RFD reruns. All this for $13!

This reminded me of my first haircut in Korea years ago. After the haircut the barber suddenly and quite unexpectedly starting pounding on my shoulders and neck with karate-chop ferocity. It took me a few moments to figure out that this was a massage - something I had never associated with a haircut. The barbers in Peavine didn't massage their customers, much less touch them if at all possible. But in Asia, the neck and shoulder massage is a free add-on after the haircut. Unfortunately, for the Korean barber anyway, I was so shaken up by my initiation that I forgot to tip him.