A Dubbo barber has put in a more than 12-hour shift on his first day of reopening as clients urgently sought haircuts at lockdown's end.
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Walid Taleb, owner of The Bearded Boss, opened the doors of his Macquarie Street salon at 7.40am on Monday to clients already waiting in line.
They kept arriving and by the time he finished at 8.15pm, Mr Taleb had sent 48 people out into the world with fresh haircuts.
Tuesday was shaping up to be just as busy for her husband, a barber of almost 14 years, Mariam Taleb told the Daily Liberal.
Mr Taleb normally opened the salon from 9am to 5pm but he had early notice he would be in demand, she said.
"The Bearded Boss received over 50 messages on Facebook leading up to the 11th specifically in regards to the opening day, asking what times he would be open," Mrs Taleb said.
He said he was anticipating those who messaged to show up on the first day, but he had even more than he expected, even heaps of new clients.
"We received messages and comments that people would be camping out in front if the salon," Mrs Taleb said.
"Some people saying that they would be standing right at the door so they could get in, as everyone knew that there would be a line.
"When he arrived at 7:40 he found a few people outside the shop that had been waiting there from 7am.
"We told everyone that he would be opening at 9am.
"But Walid knew that if he didn't go early he would be at the shop until midnight."
The appreciation of his clients kept the barber cutting around the clock.
When asked what her husband thought about being back to business, Mrs Taleb said: "'So exciting' was his exact words."
"He had received so many messages for his loyal clients telling him that they miss him and that they can't wait until he opens the salon," she said.
"Walid told me when he came home last night he couldn't believe how happy everyone seemed.
"Everyone was talking to him about being so happy to be out of lockdown. Telling him about their plans for the rest of the year.
"He received hugs and so many thanks from his clients and he also received heaps of tips as well."
Mr Taleb came to Australia in 2017, moved to Dubbo in 2018 and after a time doing mobile barbering opened The Bearded Boss in June 2020.
Regular client Cameron Forbes lined up from about 8.30am on Monday and by mid-morning he was at the head of queue.
"I need a haircut, it's been 100 days," he said.
Faye Wheeler
I have been a journalist for more than a decade and in that time I have been keeping Daily Liberal readers up to date about issues affecting them and what's happening in their community. Throughout my career I have covered a range of rounds and most recently I have been focusing on the business round.
I have been a journalist for more than a decade and in that time I have been keeping Daily Liberal readers up to date about issues affecting them and what's happening in their community. Throughout my career I have covered a range of rounds and most recently I have been focusing on the business round.
