What do BVB coach Edin Terzic, a clinic director, many police officers, board members or even pensioners with a tight budget have in common? The barber. Taner Dogan washes the heads of his customers in Dortmund in an unusual place. His salon is not on a shopping mile next to boutiques and cafés, but in the discounter Netto. "When we opened the shop, we were laughed at, even insulted," says the 43-year-old.
But then a well-known Borussia youth footballer walked through his door. And there were more and more celebrities from the Bundesliga club. The training ground is around the corner. Since then, things have been going well for the Turkish-born hairdresser. He is currently concerned with the suffering of the earthquake victims in Syria and Turkey. He actively drums for their support and has initiated a fundraiser.
If the glass doors to the discounter open, the hairdressing salon "Mr. and Mrs. Barber" is on the left in the anteroom. Dogan has been running the store with his wife Derya Dogan since 2019, having worked there two years previously. It was rocky at the beginning. "There used to be a bakery here. When we were doing the conversion, many knocked, wanted to know what we were planning and laughed at each other: a hairdresser's shop, that would never work," Dogan remembers. He was met with tremendous skepticism. And: "People didn't want to be seen by their neighbors, that made them uncomfortable - you don't go to the hairdresser in a discount store."
Became a cult hairdresser
Customer Maik Müller, police officer in the Ruhr area city, says about the initially difficult situation: "An image was simply transferred: cheap supermarket, cheap barber shop." The 43-year-old, who has now become a cult hairdresser, has several autographed jerseys hanging behind glass on the walls - for example from BVB midfield star Gio Reyna, whose hair Dogan cuts. And by top scorer Erling Haaland, Sebastian Rode or Christian Pulisic, who now play for other top teams. Taner Dogan has also lent a hand to them.
The very first top soccer player to sit close to his chair was the Dane Jacob Bruun Larsen, who was 16 at the time and was still in BVB's youth team. "Then he brought Pulisic with him, then Emre Mor - and it went on and on like that." The shop fronts are made of glass, everything is clearly visible. Suddenly people pressed their noses against the windows. "The entire coaching staff came in suits - goalkeeper trainer, assistant trainer, fitness trainer, the BVB chief doctor," reports Maik Müller as a regular customer friend.
No celebrity bonus
Local politicians, members of the state parliament, heads of associations, managers and directors now have Dogan shape their hair or even remove hair from their ears and nose. But the father of the family has remained totally down to earth. All of his customers are basically lumped together. "Of course I treat everyone the same." No fanfare. No celebrity bonus. Same prices. There is also a hair salon at Netto in Munich, says Dogan.
He comes from a so-called guest worker family, was born in Dortmund and, as a top amateur player, narrowly missed out on a professional career himself, as the 47-year-old explains. He has many relatives in Turkey who live not far from the disaster areas. Almost all of his Turkish-born friends in the Ruhr area lost relatives under the rubble. Around 50,000 people have died after the February 6 earthquake in Turkey and Syria.
"The most important thing is to help the children"
The Dogan couple launched a fundraiser for them. Every donor will receive a raffle ticket until next Tuesday. Among other things, the winners will have a shirt signed by the entire Borussia squad and a football with all the autographs, or original shoes from current BVB professional Salih Özcan and goalkeeper gloves from keeper Gregor Kobel.
With further actions he was able to finance a living container for two Turkish families in the earthquake area, reports Dogan. He also plans other initiatives. The children in the disaster region are particularly close to his heart. "I have three small children myself. The most important thing is to help the children."
