{
  "id": 17580504,
  "title": "My Abu Dhabi: The Emirati woman who built a barbershop empire and helped put the city on the map",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/01/my-abu-dhabi-the-emirati-woman-who-built-a-barbershop-empire-and",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-11-01T09:24:45.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Gulf News",
    "slug": "gulf-news",
    "url": "https://gulfnews.com/uae/abu-dhabi/my-abu-dhabi-the-emirati-woman-who-built-a-barbershop-empire-and-helped-put-the-city-on-the-map-1.500730451"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Amal Salah AlBarout, founder of Uptown Barbershop in Abu Dhabi, achieved her dreams against the backdrop of the city's transformation. Growing up in Abu Dhabi, she witnessed the city's evolution, from the old souk to the development of Yas Island. After graduating from Abu Dhabi University with a finance degree in 2012, Amal felt called to a different path. She pursued an international sales role with Etihad Airways, a position that required her to work abroad. Over the next six years, she visited Greece, Melbourne, and New York, all while promoting Abu Dhabi as an attractive travel destination. Despite initial skepticism, she persevered, educating potential customers about the city's vision and its significance as a bridge between East and West. Amal's efforts paid off when she returned to Abu Dhabi, joining Miral, the company behind Yas Island's theme parks and destinations. Her career has taken her from representing a location few had heard of to being a key player in the development of one of the world's most recognized tourist destinations. Today, her Uptown Barbershop is frequented by footballers, NBA players, and Hollywood stars, and she continues to organize community events and give back to the city that helped her find her path.",
  "summary": "Abu Dhabi: When Amal Salah AlBarout told her father she was opening a barbershop, he told her: \"Do whatever you want, but do not come crying if it does not work.\" And it worked. Next month Uptown Barbershop celebrates its eighth anniversary. It sits on a mezzanine floor in Abu Dhabi's Al Muroor, where you cannot see it from the main street. Today footballers, NBA players and Hollywood names are…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The National UAE",
        "title": "Emirati advocate plans to build centre in Abu Dhabi to help people who stutter",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/29/emirati-advocate-plans-to-build-centre-in-abu-dhabi-to-help-people",
        "published": "2026-10-29T09:06:07.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}