There are a bunch of businesses that, at one point, looked to be too old-fashioned to survive in this era. Some were superseded by new technologies, or others were sidelined by larger competitors. But, with the increase in popularity of retro things, then many once-endangered professions are beginning to flourish again. Let’s take a more detailed look at some of the examples of the more interesting ones.
Gents Barbers
Traditionally men would go to the local barber’s shop, no appointments, and wait their turn and get their usual cut by their usual barber. But during the 80s and the 90s, many traditional barbers found trading tough as many men embraced the ‘metrosexual’ trends, as they were labeled at the time, all this meant was more men going to unisex salons. But these days tradition is back with a bang and barbers offering shaves; traditional cuts etc. are everywhere.
Milk Deliveries
Almost everyone used to have their milk delivered to the door by the local milkman. This was arranged directly from the dairy. But we all became used to getting absolutely everything from massive supermarkets. But these days there has been a real drive to bring back the milk deliveries, it seems to make people feel safe, and it’s a nice thought to be directly supporting local industry.
Microbreweries
It wasn’t that long ago that every town in the country had a local brewery, it was a massive part of the character of the city. But we are moving some way towards getting that back, craft ales and lagers are all the rage now, and you’ll barely find a reasonably sized town without a microbrewery or two in the area.
Grocery Delivery
Local grocers would happily load up a cart or bicycle with groceries and make the rounds of the neighborhood or village dropping off the orders in the old days. This may sound like something from an old film or novel, but it is the way it used to be. Many grocery retailers are catching on to the fact that in a fast-paced world with pressures on time, such as family and work, it’s great to be able to order and either have your goods delivered or pick up your groceries. This can be done quickly online, and it’s not just the supermarkets that do this, all sorts of independent grocers and delis will deliver from bakeries to butchers and a lot more.
Small Scale Farming
We don’t often think about buying directly from the farmer with modern produce. But with small scale farming, we have this opportunity much more than we did previously. Farm shops are on the increase, often combining a deli and grocery with a café or coffee shop. These places are selling produce mostly reared on the premises. You can’t get much fresher than that! There is also the proliferation of farmers’ markets up and down the country now; this allows local and ethical produce to be sold at a regular interval.
