Haircut-starved Venezuelans find solace in mobile barbershop

World Today

In many countries, coronavirus lockdowns have meant that salons and barbershops are closed. But one group of Venezuelan entrepreneurs says the pandemic should not mean a moratorium on haircuts, and they’ve devised a way to make it so. Mary Triny Mena reports from Caracas.

They claim to be the first mobile barber shop in Venezuela. Their mission — to make sure people look and feel their best, even when lockdown orders make it difficult for people to get a haircut using public transportation.

Prime Barber Truck travels to a different neighborhood each day, offering haircuts, beard trims, and facials. It also offers private at home service with a barber knocking on the client’s front door.

The company advertises the location of its trucks on social media each day.

Since it started in October, Prime Barber Truck has developed a loyal following.

The standard price for a haircut inside the mobile barbershop is around $10. That’s comparable to the price at many traditional barber shops across the country.

Parked in shopping malls and alongside food trucks, the owners of Prime Barber Truck say they’ve found a winning business plan they hope will attract customers even after pandemic restrictions ease up.