With Turkish barbers doing a roaring trade all over NI, traditional Northern Irish barbershops are becoming just as popular in Turkey, the Ulster Fry has learned.
Belfast barber Ed Shearer started the ball rolling three years ago when he emigrated to Istanbul to open ‘Hairland & Wolfe’.
“We only offer the authentic Norn Iron barber experience,” he told us. “We don’t do beards, eyebrows or any of that pansy nose waxing shite, just a no-nonsense short back & sides whilst discussing your summer holiday plans. Then we shout ‘who’s next!’, and buck ye out!”
“I loves zat they tell me to wind my neck in when I ask for ze shave,” explained customer, Mustafa Ercut. “Zey don’t even whack ears with a flaming stick or nahhin, so they don’t. It’s really exotic and different”
In fact such is the popularity of NI barbers, that scores of NI men are emigrating to Turkey every week to open new barber shops across the country.
“I opened my business ‘Cuttybackey’ in Bodrum last year” explained Belfast man, Laurie Allen. “And my cousin opened ‘East Man-trim’ in Ankara shortly after. We both offer a premium NI experience though”
“We’ve cold cans of Harp on arrival, free copies of The Big List in the waiting room – and Downtown Country on the radio. The locals love it!”
However one NI businessman is offering Turkish men in a more intimate grooming experience, at his shop in Antalya.
“For £3.50 we’ll shave or wax ye anywhere you want!” explained Paul Bag, owner of ‘Ballybacksackandcrackamore’.