Remember way back when? When men went to barber shops and women went to beauty shops? I don’t know that there was anything particularly sexist about it, it was just the way it was. As years have gone by, barbers have become more scarce and “stylists” have become more prevalent. Barbers and stylists all cut hair, but their education and focus are different.
At the end of this year, my dad will be closing Jim’s Barber Service for the last time. He has been barbering since he was laid off from the railroad in 1962. After the big layoff, we moved to Minneapolis so Dad could attend barber school. I guess being a barber looked like a more stable occupation than the railroad had been.
At that time, there were several shops in town. The ones I can remember are Al’s Barber Shop on 1st Avenue. This was a two-chair shop operated by Al Grams with the 2nd chair by Charlie Nelson. Stan Loushin had a one man shop (but it had two chairs) at 115 7th St. and George Vodnick had a one-man shop, but I don’t remember where. George moved a couple of times, but he was probably on Waterfront Drive. There was another shop on the corner of 7th St. and 6th Avenue, but I don’t know who operated that one. I remember the Wildroot sign in the window (for those not old enough to remember, Wildroot was a hair tonic).
We moved back to Two Harbors late ’63 or early ’64 after Dad finished barber school and completed something like an internship. My dad ended up with the second chair at Al’s shop. That chair had been vacated by Charlie Nelson who I think had been drafted and was in VietNam. Dad worked there with Al until it was time for Charlie to come home. Turns out Stan Loushin was looking for a 2nd barber in his shop (Dad’s present location at 115 7th St.) so he went to work there and eventually bought the business from Stan and has operated as a one-man show since then.
Dad worked 5 days/week until he was about 65, then reduced to 4 days/week. He cut back to 3 days/week a couple of years ago. So now he is a ways beyond normal retirement age and is ready to hang up the clippers.
Back in the day, he made housecalls, cut hair at the nursing home, and sometimes helped out with haircuts at the funeral home. Talk about good service.
Except for the years I lived away from Two Harbors, my dad has been cutting my hair all my life. I don’t have much left, but I still get to sit in the chair at the shop, get my hair cut, and spend some quality time with my dad. I’m really going to miss that.
Stop in and say hi, get that last haircut, give some congratulations, and say goodbye to an era.
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Oh no! I wanted to offer “a wink back in time” -an old fashioned shave with the bristly brush and blade razor- to my father for a Christmas present! You don’t suppose your father would want to do just ONE more “old-fashioned” shave…in the name of Christmas spirit? Please? If not, well then, it is a retirement well-merited and he should be proud that he kept the profession alive as long as he did. Traditional barbers are very hard to come by, seen more often in Norman Rockwell paintings than in shops down the street!
The straight edge razors have been put away, so I’m sorry to say that the old-fashioned shave will have to remain a wish and a pleasant memory.
I believe (cousin) Jim gave me either my first or one of my first haircuts way back when. I vaguely recall getting my hair cut there when visiting the family in Duluth / Two Harbors.
Congratulations on the retirement! And thanks for the story.
Wow, I didn’t think Grandpa would ever retire. I hope I’m as spry as he is when I get to that age. But I guess now’s as good a time as any for him to get some time to relax.
I like the reference to Norman Rockwell. In our town, so very fitting, indeed. I’ve spent the last 20 some years of my life away from town, the last 8 in an undying fight to keep hometown barber shops a thing of the now – not of the past. I will particularly miss the Barber Shop as it represents a connection to everything I love in life in so many ways. God’s Speed my very good friend on your retirement, and I will see you when I finally get home. – Jeff