EXCHANGE: Pekin barbers keeping shop in the family
PEKIN, Ill. (AP) - John Bargar opened the Colonial Barber Shop June 26, 1967. Fifty years later, his grandson, Jake Gill, having finished barber college in Bloomington-Normal, came to work at the shop.
"I grew up in this shop," said Gill. "I was always in here getting my hair cut every time I could."
While he had always pictured himself standing behind a barber's chair in the Colonial Barber Shop, Gill did not have the opportunity to attend barber college until 2016, he said. He was selling cars at Uftring Chevrolet in North Pekin when a conversation with his wife, Stephanie, redirected him to his new career path.
"She asked me one day what I really wanted to do," he said. "I told her I wanted to be a barber. She said, 'Well, do it.'"
Bargar was quickly supportive of his grandson's ambition to not only follow in his footsteps but to work at his side.
"Ever since he was in high school, he'd always said, 'I wouldn't mind being a barber,'" Bargar said. "I didn't pursue it a whole lot right at that time, but I finally said, 'If you want to be a barber, I'd be glad for you to take up the trade, go to school and then come and work for me if you'd like.' That's what he did. It's working out really well. He's a very good operator and will be for a long time."
Bargar himself chose his career when he was growing up by observing a barber in his home town of Winfield, Iowa. A major factor in his decision to open a barber shop appears to be that it would give him an opportunity to meet and get to know people.
"I just like people," he said. "It's always interesting to meet new people, and I just enjoy doing that. We have a lot of interesting patrons. We give haircuts to people from every walk of life in this barber shop. We get a lot of hospital workers, a lot of bartenders and a lot of lawyers."
Gill also seems to enjoy the social interaction. A favorite customer of his is a retired local chiropractor.
"He's down-to-earth, funny, tells stories and knows a lot of history of Pekin,'" said Gill "I enjoy talking to him."
Since Gill began working at the Colonial Barber Shop two years ago, he has proven to be a quick study, Bargar said. In the teacher-student relationship, Bargar provides the mentorship, but their roles are occasionally reversed.
"Every shop cuts hair a little bit differently," said Bargar "You have to learn to cut hair the way they do in that particular shop. He did very well at that. He learned to cut hair our way very quickly. He's a fast learner, and I'm very pleased with him. I give him pointers and he gives me pointers on some of the new hairstyles. A lot of these young people have altogether different hairstyles."
Bargar and Gill agree on their ambition to keep the Colonial Barber Shop in their family. When Bargar retires, he hopes Gill will take over the shop, and Gill was unequivocal in declaring that he does not intend to open his own shop or seek work elsewhere.
"I love working with my grandfather every day," Gill said. "I wouldn't have it any other way. I'm not going anywhere. I'll be here until the day I die."
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Source: Pekin Daily Times, https://bit.ly/2FTJIow
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Information from: Pekin Daily Times, http://www.pekintimes.com