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Why Do Barbers Have Red, White, and Blue Poles?
The symbol has a bloody past
Walk past almost any traditional barbershop, and you’ll probably see it.
A red, white, and blue striped pole, which is slowly spinning outside the door.
It’s one of the most recognizable business signs in the world. Even if there isn’t a single word on the building, you instantly know someone inside is cutting hair.
However, have you ever asked yourself why?
Why those three colors?
What’s the idea behind the spinning pole?
And what does any of it have to do with haircuts?
The answer is much stranger than most people imagine.
In fact, the famous barber pole has its roots in blood, surgery, and one of the most unusual professions in history.
In order to explain the meaning of the barber pole, one must go back to the Middle Ages.
If you need surgery these days, you go to the hospital. If you want a haircut, you visit a barber. The two professions couldn’t seem more different.
But centuries ago, they were often the same job.
Barbers weren’t just trimming beards and cutting hair. They also conducted all sorts of…
