An SBI ATM that had closed in Danapur, Patna, is now a working barber shop, and this has quickly gotten a lot of attention on the internet. It’s also making people wonder how much control a bank has over old bank locations. This odd swap, with the usual blue SBI ATM sign still out front, is a good example of how something confusing can also be clever.
Videos of the booth which is now a salon have spread quickly. One post that a lot of people shared said the outside still looks like an ATM, so people are surprised to find barbers working inside. Another video that went viral said people went to get money, but instead found themselves getting a haircut, which made people both not believe it and laugh.
How an ATM became a salon
People who live in the area say the small building used to have a working SBI cash machine in it. News reports say the bank closed the ATM and took the machine out of the building, but they left the sign and the structure of the booth.
The property owner then rented out the empty building. According to the same news reports, the renter set up a small hair salon inside, but didn’t remove the ATM signs on the outside – which is why it still looks like an ATM from the street.
Viral reactions and local acceptance
People on social media have been joking about the booth ‘giving out’ a new style instead of money. One post joked that Bihar is showing everyone the way, but in a totally different sense this time, and another said the place gives a surprise and a laugh to people visiting for the first time.
Shop owners in the area say that in the beginning, many customers were confused. But over time, the place has become a local landmark with a playful nickname: “Hair Cutting ATM”, as the Navbharat Times reported.
Oversight questions and security context
But beyond the funny side of things, this whole event started a larger discussion. People online are either making fun of the situation with memes, or they are seriously worried about the government not looking after public things properly, and the safety of ATM booths if they are used for something else without being clearly marked or checked.
News reports have said that Danapur has had several security problems with ATMs in the past, including attempts to steal from them and fraud investigations. Given that, it was even more surprising to people in the area (after seeing the video) to find a salon in an old ATM booth.
Key points from what locals and reports indicate so far:
– The ATM machine was removed, but the signage stayed
– The empty booth was rented out to a barber
– Many now call it the Hair Cutting ATM
– The viral clips sparked debate on oversight
Why this matters for banks and brands
Banks need to realize the potential problem with having old signs and building styles still around after an ATM is closed. If the signs and the way the booth looks stays the same after the ATM is shut down, customers could think that unrelated businesses are actually part of the bank, damaging people’s trust and making it unclear who is responsible if something goes wrong.
It also shows a difference between saying you’re getting rid of something and actually doing it. Nowadays, when a picture or video can quickly change how people think about a company and how safe things are, it’s not just good business practice to remove all signs and properly hand over a location, it’s vital for protecting the brand.
What to watch next
The next steps will probably be: will the remaining ATM signs be taken down to stop more confusion, and who is in charge of making sure old locations are obviously different from ATMs that are still in use?
For now, the “Hair Cutting ATM” in Danapur is a story that has become very popular. It shows how something interesting in a small town can start a national conversation about how things are run on a daily basis, and at the same time, local people have turned a one-room building into a landmark that is memorable and surprisingly fashionable.
