Men couldn’t shave at home for the longest time
Now, we can shave whenever, but in the olden days, it was an occasion. It was only in 1903 that the mass production of safety razors began.
Prior to that, your only option was a straight razor that you tried to wield yourself, or you’d go to the barber for a shave and trim. Thus, the barbershop as the social hub of the neighbourhood began.