Recession Hits The Upper East Side

PBS Frontline had a special about a week ago where producer Ofra Bikel setup a camera in a salon in the Upper East Side of NYC to gain insight into the economic and personal situations of patrons…

In Close to Home, Bikel sets up her cameras in the hair salon she’s patronized for 20 years. It’s an intimate space where she has come to know well the surprisingly diverse clientele — from athletic trainers and housewives to high-end bankers, actors and opera singers. Despite expectations that this neighborhood is a secure bastion of privilege, these days, when clients get in the chair, they offer a window into the country in recession: Some are broke, others don’t have a plan, and they’re all looking to commiserate.

Deborah Boles, the owner and sole hairdresser at Deborah Hair Designs, started the business in 1985. “I wanted a place where people can go and they can feel comfortable,” she says. “They know they belong here.” But it’s all on the line with the current downturn — clients come less often; some skip coloring or skip the trim — and as Deborah watches neighboring businesses go under, she wonders how long she can survive.

Barbara, Deborah’s sister, helps out at the salon, but she has been struggling with her own economic crisis. After buying a home in Florida at the height of the market, she now has a subprime mortgage that she can no longer afford. Unable to pay the exorbitant interest, she has had to take in four tenants, each with their own stories of foreclosure and unemployment.

Similar Posts:

• Frontline Special: “Inside The Meltdown” Now Available Online
• How You Keep the 8% Growth Going
• China Commercial Property Sales Exceed US, UK
• CNBC Classic: The Call For A 21st Century Tea Party
• Jon Stewart Interviews Jim Cramer on Daily Show