Barbers were highly skilled and respected during the Ottoman times, with trainees undergoing a series of tough exams and years of apprenticeship before being classed as masters of their trade. Back then, barbers didn’t operate from shops, and they were more like peddlers who worked from tea houses, street corners or visited client homes. During the Ottoman Empire, barbers’ skills varied, and they also conducted basic medical tasks, like dressing wounds, taking blood, circumcisions, and removing teeth. Their businesses grew from word of mouth and recommendation, so a barber had to be social, well-mannered, empathetic, exceptional at their job, and an excellent listener. Today, medical duties are thankfully left to doctors. Still, a barber still takes great pride in their work, and their customer service and attention to detail remain. This makes a Turkish barber one of the most welcoming and skilled professionals you could hope to meet in Türkiye and in the male grooming industry