Twin typhoon recovery gives Gene’s Barber on Tinian fresh start

After weathering back-to-back Category 5 super typhoons Sinlaku and Bavi, Gene's Barber & Beauty Shop on Tinian has fully reopened and is once again serving customers from its location on the first floor of the Villagomez Building in San Jose Village, just a stone's throw from the Tinian Mayor's Office.

The business was forced to shut down for about a week following Super Typhoon Bavi due to flooding and a prolonged power outage, although the owners said the damage was far less severe than what they experienced during Super Typhoon Sinlaku.

"We closed around one week... no damage, only flooded from my apartment and then the barbershop," said hairdresser Shine Viscara said, explaining that he lives on the building's second floor while the shop occupies the ground floor.

Viscara said floodwaters entered the shop and its signage was blown off during the storm, but the cleanup took about a week.

"It's only... some of the towels... maybe around $300," she said of the estimated losses from Bavi. "Yeah, the Sinlaku, it's more worse than Bavi. So we have lots of things that we do on Sinlaku. But here in Bavi, it's just some."

Power was restored after about a week, allowing the shop to resume operations.

Asked if business had returned to normal, Viscara replied, "Yeah. From the Tinian people, the Gene's Barbers now, it's open. It accommodates all the people, men and women."

Barber Jovio Lovendino said the shop now has two staff members and is again welcoming its mix of local, military and Filipino customers.

Gene's Barber is open daily from 9am to 6pm. Viscara said the business is also preparing a new promotional package following its earlier Sinlaku recovery promotion.

The planned Bavi promotion is expected to include discounted packages for haircuts, hot oil treatments and hair services, with prices ranging from about $30 to $40, according to the staff.

Lovendino, who has worked as a barber for about 15 years in the Philippines, eight years on Saipan and nearly three months on Tinian, said the shop is ready to serve residents once again as the island continues recovering from the two devastating storms. Viscara, meanwhile, brings nearly two decades of hairdressing experience from the Philippines and has worked in the Northern Marianas for several years before relocating to Tinian.

Gene’s Barber & Beauty Shop on Tinian was acquired by the owner of Gene’s Barber & Beauty Shop on Saipan last March 15. For appointments, call (670) 588-4363.