The owner of the Old School Barber Shop in Canton, OH, knows that times are tough. In fact, there’s a sign out front of the building that says as much. That sign also lets customers know that the $12 price for a haircut is negotiable.

“When times are good, people can afford to be more vain,” the owner, who has seen his business dwindle as people wait longer between cuts, tells the Canton Repository. “You have all your eggs in one basket like this, it gets a little scary.”

Thus, he posted the sign that reads, “Times are hard” and “What can you pay for a cut?”

He says he’s taken as little as $5 for a cut, including one for a customer who needed a trim before a job interview.

“I’m offering something that helps me and the community,” he explains.

The owner, who has worked as everything from a hair stylist to a cab driver, says, “I’ve always been able to hustle my way to a buck with hard work.”

And that’s how he came up with the name for his barber shop: “Old school is making something out of nothing.”

Make me an offer: Times tough for barber, customers [CantonRep.com via SeattlePI.com]

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