Friday, April 11, 2008

On The Mark -- Recession Indicator?

Recently on a Saturday I went to my local barber, Tony, with my son to get our hair cut. I've been going to this same barber for at least 11 years. It's just a hole in the wall, old-fashioned barbershop with the twirling red and white stripe outside and the whole 1960s works. He charges $23 for a cut.

Usually the place is busy. All three chairs filled and a walk-in or two reading a paper while waiting. This time the place was empty. Empty when I walked in. Empty when I walked out. I usually like to sit there silently while I get my hair cut, but this time I was curious so I asked him how business was going.

"Terrible because of the economy," he said. "And all my colleagues at other shops are experiencing the same thing." I was surprised and told him that I would have thought an economic slowdown wouldn't affect his business because it's like health care or food...you always need it.

He said, "You don't need it if you don't have a job and you don't need it if you can't get an interview."

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

*sigh* Last year my dad and I bought a personalized gift web site, which we've both spent tons of time renovating and marketing. Business has been slow and we keep hoping things will pick up but if people don't need haircuts they surely will think carefully before buying gifts.

Unknown said...

I think your barber was spot on..and sadly..the trickle-down-theory is working swimmingly right now.

The whole thing is..the top one percenters will weather this quite well..since our federal government will bail out the banks and investment houses.

Oh, the irony..