Where Did Barbers Go?

Of Plumbers And Barbers
02/23/09 - RiehlWorldView by Dan Riehl

Barbers were regulated out of existence.

[edited] In the 70's and 80's many states merged their Barber and Cosmetology Boards into one. A young man who could make a decent living as a Barber couldn't do a partly paid apprenticeship, taking just months to learn a career that could serve him for life. He had to pay to attend a Community College or private tech education program that could last two years, while making him learn a variety of skills he'd never employ. And he, or she was also taught to charge much more for the service.

Costs of a haircut more than doubled, and businesses saw their overhead costs rise dramatically. All because the government was just looking out for you, or perhaps they were paid off by the tech education and cosmetic industries. Maybe they found a clever way to extract more dollars from a male public that never actually needed them in the first place