Back in the clip of things

After a two-year absence from his Silverdale Old Town Barber Shop business, John Kaye is happy to be back doing what he does best.

Kaye has owned the small business, nestled in Old Town off of Byron Street, for 12 years and is excited to get the hair clippers back in his hand.

“It’s different, it’s fun,” he said of his return last week. “People are all really friendly, it’s been a good experience.”

More than a decade ago Kaye borrowed just enough money to take over the business and with the help of his brother, the two fixed up the barber shop, turning Kaye’s dream into a reality.

“I always wanted to do it,” he said. “I always wanted to get into this.”

Kaye had previously worked for Arnold’s Home Furnishings, delivering furniture, in the 1980s when he began thinking more and more about opening a barber shop.

That’s when he put his two weeks notice in at Arnold’s and began his venture into hair cutting by first becoming certified.

Getting into the hair cutting profession was something that Kaye thought about long before he made the barber shop a go.

“I always wanted to cut hair since I was young,” he said. “I remember going into salons and saying, ‘This would be fun.’”

Now that he has returned, Kaye says many of his customers are surprised to see him after his long absence from his chair.

“They thought I wasn’t coming back,” he said.

And with competition increasing year after year, Kaye says it is important to listen to the customer’s needs.

“I try to do exactly what they ask me to do and I think some other places don’t do that,” he said of making sure his customers leave with the haircut they wanted.

Having been in Old Town for 12 years, Kaye has seen surrounding businesses come and go over the years, but as for himself he has no plans of going anywhere.

“Old Town has a little different atmosphere, it’s more laid back,” he said. “It’s kind of fun to be around. You pretty much know everybody and talking to people you hear a lot of different stories.”

Just as barber shops of the past used to do, Kaye offers a free mustache trim with each haircut. In an effort to keep his prices reasonable, he charges $10 for regular haircuts and $4 for beard trims which he says are still pretty popular.

“A lot of older fellas say they can’t do it in the mirror anymore,” he said. “It’s easier for someone else to do it.”

Kaye’s hair cutting services aren’t just limited to men, he offers trims to women as well.

Comment on this story.

COMMENTING RULES: We encourage an open exchange of ideas in our online community, but we ask you to follow our guidelines for respecting community standards. In a nutshell, don't say anything you wouldn't want your mother to read.