NEW YORK—It may get a little harder to get a haircut because barbershops were ordered to close by Saturday.
Made Man Barbershop has already closed four out of its five locations because of the pandemic caused by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) virus, commonly know as the novel coronavirus. Now, they’re only open in Manhattan.
“This is our flagship,” said Sam Chulpayev, one of the owners. “This is where people really know about us, people know to come here.”
Chulpayev has been giving haircuts for over 20 years, and his barbershop’s been open for seven. It was busy when we entered, but the owners said business only picked up again today, following New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Friday announcement.
Customers also told NTD they came to get a haircut before everything shutters. The business will suffer losses, but Chulpayev said people’s health is first and foremost.
And in light of the pandemic, the barbershop had already advised their clients not to come in if they have symptoms.
“We have publicized and sent out a mass email to our clientele that if you feel like you’re coming down with something, please abstain from coming in,” he said.
But, for this business and others like it, there’s really no cure or preventative measure for their financial losses. Chulpayev said he’s hopeful Congress can help cushion the blow.
“As a business owner am I gonna to get out of with no losses, right now?—no,” he said. “I’m hoping they’re able to do something about it to help us. That would be great.”
Willing to Adjust
Restaurants, cafes, and other food and drink establishments are undergoing similar situations. Business is down, closed, or limited to delivery or take-out service.
However, barbershops don’t generally deliver haircuts—as you might have guessed.
Despite the setback, Chulpayev said they’re willing to adjust to the pandemic; if the government permits, they could make their business mobile.
“Yeah, it’s a thought,” he said. “Listen, a lot of the people here today aren’t here because of any other reason except they’re literally trying to prepare for what tomorrow may be.”
Governor Cuomo did not say how long the order would last. He also ordered that all “non-essential” businesses close until further notice later that day.
But Made Man Barbershop will stay open for as long as it can over the weekend.
NTD News refers to the novel coronavirus as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Party’s coverup and mishandling allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic.
