We spoke to Leigh Winsor @thebarbellbarber from Area Studio in Melbourne about lockdown and how it has impacted him as a barber.
Hey Leigh, how are you guys going with the current lockdown taking place in Melbourne?
Leigh: Fortunately, we can stay open as hair salons and barbers are still classed as essential
As a barber how have you been impacted, what are the biggest changes for you?
Leigh: I think for me personally as a barber, the initial impact was spaces on the calendar, people staying away from the barbershop even though we are open. That impacted revenue, which leads into the bigger changes which aren’t always cheap. Using gloves, masks and too many litres of hand sanitizer, all ads to the weekly outgoings. One good thing to come from it is for the ones who didn’t go crazy and shave their heads have returned with heaps of hair for me to restyle, so that has been great!
Haha! So, lots of long hair, do you think men are more willing to keep their hair long instead of the usual crops and fades?
Leigh: Yeah it’s been great, it’s a double edged sword really, guys have had time to grow it out and because so many have been working from home they don’t have the pressure of the corporate world beat and tidy short haircuts so they have been opting to keep the length and that has allowed me to guide them on a new direction with their hair.
So do you guys have a plan in place if they extend the 6 weeks? Or just taking it day by day?
Leigh: We’re just taking it day by day for now, as we can stay open, so we’ll do business until the government say otherwise.
Thanks for the chat Leigh take care and all the best!
