For the past 40 years Angela Birnie has been a well-known face at Al’s Barbers in Ellon.
But when the 67-year-old first started her barber career she was met with the attitude “a wifie in a barber shop winna work”.
Men would turn around and walk out when they saw Angela working.
However, not to be deterred the mum-of-three persevered and has gone on to become one of the best known barbers in the town.
She originally trained as a ladies hairdresser and started her apprenticeship at former hair salon Grace’s in Ellon.
Challenges at start of career for Ellon barber
It was 40 years ago, Angela, who is married to Neil, made the decision to move in to barbering and started renting a chair in the Market Street salon.
But it’s not been without its challenges.
She said: “There was hardly any female barbers at the time and in Ellon it was ‘a wifie in a barber shop winna work’.
“When I first started it was pretty hard going. My first day I went home with £3 and thought oh my gosh what am I doing.
“Elderly men weren’t coming to me because I was a female working in a barbers.
“But within the first year it was up and running. It grew so much there was some nights I was working until 11pm.”
Changed attitudes
Currently five females work at Al’s Barbers with numbers growing all the time.
Angela said: “In Ellon I think I paved the way for the rest of them because it was a hard slog.
“For everyone three customers you had two turn away and say they’d come back when the barber was in so I was never classed as a barber 40 years ago.
“But then within a short space of time it turned out that they’d tell Alan they’d come back when the wifie was on.
“There was a turnaround and you learned how to talk to the men. I was a country girl so the farmers came in and there was the barter. You got a bag of tatties for a haircut or a bag of carrots.”
Barber industry changes
Throughout the years Angela has seen many changes in barbering from the equipment used to the hairstyles.
She said: “We use cordless clippers now but before it used to be corded or hand ones.
“Away back in the day it was a case of kids come in and got a haircut but not now. You’ve got all the different styles with fades and zero fades.
“In all fairness barbering itself hasn’t changed.
“But the hairstyles have come full circle.”
Ellon barber’s Charity work
Grandmother-of-six Angela has spent the past month fundraising for the Heart, Chest & Stroke Scotland following the death of her mum Chris Murray who suffered a stroke in 2019.
Angela donated two days of takings and also had a raffle to win a hand carved cows head stock donated by one of her loyal customers.
The former Ellon Academy pupil said: “Within the raffle, takings and general donations I was very fortunate and blown away by it all.
“By close of business I had £2,360 over the two days.
“Because I’ve been there for 40 years and a lot of my customers I’ve done for 40 years they were very generous.”
