After 18 months of closure during the Covid-19 pandemic, Kim Wong, 69, realized he is not yet ready to give up his barber's chair. Every weekday at 9 a.m, he opens his shop in Chinatown, Vancouver, and waits for the now rare customers to drop in for a haircut. They are often seniors who live near or travel far, not just for a refreshed look, but to resume conversations they have shared over time. 

In some ways, Kim’s career is a continuation of his father’s legacy, whose own barber shop was located just two blocks away. 

“When my grandparents lost all of their land and money during Mao Zedong's reign in China, my parents fled first to Hong Kong, then to Canada in search of a new start,” said Wong.

His own immigration was problematic and was settled only when he was able to obtain a barber certificate as proof of intention to inherit his father’s business.

It is in his chair where immigrant and cultural stories are exchanged and mutual loyalty fostered. “One day, my retirement will come, but today is not the day.”