First Saudi Barber Closes Doors

Ahmad Huzzazi, the first trained barber in Saudi Arabia, has shuttered his shop and laid down his shears.

Now, that’s a sad story, but times are hard all over the world and this would be totally unremarkable except for one thing: Ahmad opened his shop in 2007.

What?

In the entire Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, there was not one barber until 2007.

OK, upon reflection, maybe that’s not so strange. Arab men aren’t big shavers and their hair is often wrapped up anyway. I’d think some of the guys in town (Ahmed’s shop was in Riyadh) would stop by for a trim or shave from time to time, but maybe not.

The other reason this article is worth looking at is for the first comment: “…Humiliation and insolent bad manners are the normal treatment of barbers in KSA; clients would hesitate to treat a fellow Saudi like that and so the experience would be unsatisfactory.”

Ohhhhhhhh. It’s not that they don’t use barbers in Saudi Arabia, it’s that they like to humiliate barbers. They must use Yemenis or something.

“Gimmie a little off the back and sides, and your wife’s face looks like the south end of a northbound goat. You stinkin’ Yemeni.”

Bet the tips are kind of slim, too.