I have a pair of jeans purchased here in Cairo that fit well, except for being about two inches too long. Coincidentally, I have a couple of pair of slacks with a similar problem that I brought along for the winter here in Cairo. One of my priorities for the winter was to find a competent tailor.
A friend suggested a shop not far from Tahrir Square. I bagged up the items needing work and we headed downtown.
Like many businesses here, this is a one-man operation. Housed in a space about 12 X 16, the shop has a changing booth, new clothes for sale and a back room the size of a very narrow closet with a sewing machine, a chair and good task lighting.
Hussein, the tailor, was happy to accommodate us without leaving the trousers overnight. He measured and marked each of the items and headed into the back room to work on them.
After shearing the pant legs, Hussein stitched a new hem in the jeans on his treadle powered Singer sewing machine. For the other trousers, he hand-stitched the new hems.
The price was reasonable at 40 E.G.P apiece, around $2.60 No extra charge for the tea that was served while I waited. Tea is something of a magical lubricant for Egyptian commerce. "Tea runners" service multiple businesses along a street segment as customers come and go from the shops.
After the work was complete, Hussein posed with me out in front of the shop. Total time at the shop was a bit over a half hour.
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