Ali Saloon

My shop is called Ali Saloon and it's located on Jessore Road in the Barasat area of Kolkata. If you know Jessore Road, you know it's one of the busiest stretches around here, with 700124 being the zip code. There’s always a lot of dust and noise from the traffic, but inside the shop, it’s a bit calmer. I’ve been here for a long time, watching the road change and get busier every year. The shop is quite traditional. I have the big mirrors and the old-fashioned chairs that lean back for a shave. Kolkata gets very humid, so I have a couple of fans going all day long to keep the air moving. I mostly do haircuts and beard trims for the local men. Some of them have been coming to me since they were kids. We talk about football or the local politics while I work. It’s a friendly place, and there’s usually someone sitting on the bench waiting and chatting. I don’t have a computer or anything to manage bookings. I just remember people’s names and what they like. The walls are painted a light blue, though they could probably use a new coat soon. It’s just a small business on a busy road, trying to do a good job every day. If you’re traveling down Jessore Road, you’ll see my shop front. It’s nothing fancy, just a place for a decent haircut. We just keep the scissors moving and the talk going.