Barbershop owner turns barista, earns lucrative income amid pandemic

TUMPAT: A barbershop owner here has taken a leap of faith when he decided to start his own coffee business during this ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Abdullah Thariq Abdullah, 26, did not expect the coffee brewing skills he possessed over a year ago, has helped him to generate income which provided much-needed cash-flow support for his barbershop business that has been severely affected by the pandemic.

The LOH Barbershop owner said prior to the pandemic, it was a booming business for him when his barbershop business which started in 2018 with the help of his two brothers managed to open seven outlets and a training centre.

However, it was not all sunshine and rainbows for Abdullah Thariq when he was forced to close his two barbershop outlets due to the pandemic.

"We also had to reduce our staff as a cost-cutting measure, but even so we still have to bear certain costs for other outlets amounting to RM3,000. Hence, the idea of finding alternative income sources.

"As a coffee lover, I couldn't think of anything better than running a business selling freshly brewed coffee. Armed with a coffee machine I bought for RM1,400 last year, I set up a stall in front of my barbershop premises in Pasir Pekan," he told Bernama.

The Pasir Pekan native said his decision to venture into the coffee business turned out to be worthwhile when the coffee brewing skills he learned from YouTube are now providing him income that can help him to maintain his cash flow.

"Alhamdulillah, the response is very encouraging. I can sell about 30 to 40 cups per day with daily profits that range from RM200 to RM300. I also promote my coffee using social media platforms such as Facebook," he said.

Through the income generated from the coffee sales, Abdullah Thariq said he can now cover the operational expenses of his barbershop business.

"To be honest, I never thought that I would get such overwhelming response from the people here. I was only thinking of creating business cash flow, but Alhamdulilah, the plan works," he added.

-- BERNAMA