A man in southern China is earning big money by scratching people's itches, according to South China Morning Post. Zhang Xiaoqiao, 32, has launched an itch scratching brand called Suma in Shenzhen. He opened his first store in Baoan District in early May and a second outlet in Futian District a month later, according to Xiaoxiang Morning Herald.
At his stores, staff wear specially designed pointed nails and gently scratch customers while they lie face down on beds, similar to a massage parlour. The service costs 300 yuan, around 40 dollars, per hour.
Zhang said the service aims to reduce stress and improve sleep quality. He said people in big cities face high stress and there is strong demand for such relaxation.
He had to develop the scratching techniques himself as there was no similar business in China before.The two stores together earn 100,000 yuan, about Rs 14,06,505, a month. About 70 percent of customers are men. Zhang said many clients find it more relaxing than a regular massage and return often.
Zhang, a native of Hubei province in central China, is no stranger to exploring new ventures. Following his graduation from a lesser-known university, he tried seven different jobs in a single year, as per SCMP.
Before turning 30, he had founded two companies in the cross-border e-commerce sector, though both struggled to succeed.
Two years ago, he was involved in the we-media industry but failed to make a significant impact.
Last year, while browsing short videos on social media, he came across a clip featuring a woman scratching her husband's itches. He noticed many viewers commenting that they would pay for someone to do the same for them.
He recalled a comforting childhood memory of his father often scratching his back, which helped him fall into a peaceful sleep, inspiring him to open an itch-scratching store.
Now, Zhang frequently faces the question: "Is itch-scratching a legitimate job?"
He plans to open 100 outlets nationwide and, more importantly, hopes to establish itch-scratching as a widely recognised profession.
