I think it would be good if the barber shop was actually doing something about the hairiness of the patrons' chests and backs.
That would really be abreast of the times.
I thought they just sang in barbershops? [In the US anyway, no barbers sing here, the constant rain makes them gloomy.]The long dark tea-time of the soul and all that.
Barber shops used to be the last male bastion until PC reared its ugly head and we switched over to "styling salons". But in some communities - especially African-American ones - the barber shop still serves as a meeting place for discussions of politics, sports and local goings-on.
And you can get a "hair cut" as well - not a style, not a 'do, just a plain old-fashioned hair cut. At a reasonable price.
My barber is a woman named Michele. Blonde, trim, and lightly tattooed from her biker days. A smile, a little local gossip, 5 minutes, and $13.00 makes my day. I give her $15.00...of course.