Barman Saloon

Barman Saloon is over in Jyotinagar. We’re in the Baguihati area, near VIP Road. It’s a decent spot, though the traffic can be a real nightmare in the evenings. I started this place with a friend, and now it’s just me and a couple of young boys helping out. We have three chairs and some old wooden cabinets for our tools. The 700059 zip code has seen a lot of changes, but our shop stays mostly the same as it was. We have a small TV in the corner that we keep on for the news or the cricket match. It helps pass the long hours when it’s slow. The floor is a bit uneven, so the chairs wobble a little if you don't sit just right in the center. We’ve been meaning to fix that for a while. Most of the people who come in are from the local blocks. We talk about the weather or the price of petrol these days. It’s a quiet life, even with the main road so close. I like the smell of the shaving cream and the sound of the scissors. It’s a familiar routine for me. Sometimes we stay open a bit late if a regular shows up after his long shift. We don’t mind. It’s better than sitting at home doing nothing. We aren’t looking to be the biggest shop in Kolkata. Just a steady place where people can get a trim and relax.