The barber shop is more than a place to get a haircut; it is a guardian of tradition and the essence of everything male. Barber shops - different from hair salons or spas - are the guardian of traditions and the essence of everything male. And the clientele remain utterly devoted. The barbering business is in flux, Sioux Falls barbers say. Their ranks have thinned. Extended hours and the wide availability of chain shops, customers’ habits and the economy have all had an effect on the traditional barbershop.
Sean Strom, owner of Mister Strom’s Barbershop, agrees. “I love my guys. Over the holidays you see their families, you know what’s going on,” he says. Part of the draw of going to a barbershop is the conversation. “You talk about everything,” Rose says, including politics -“He’s a Democrat, and I’m a Republican.” But the talk also circles around children, travel plans and pets. The difference between a hair salon, a spa and a barber shop is that the focus is totally on men, Schnetter says. “We shy away from colors and perms.”
Tradition, Loyalty, and the Community of Barbers
Getting a haircut at a barbershop is a straight-forward process with little drama. The laid-back, no-rush, no-fuss ambience is comfortable for the patrons. The jokes and jibes mix well with the purr of the clippers. Once a man finds a barber, loyalty runs deep. Rose has been going to Jerry’s for 40 years. “I met him when he was in Sioux Falls for barber college,” Rose says. After all this time, the men are still friends, and so are their families.
Sean Strom, owner of Mister Strom’s Barbershop, agrees. “I love my guys. Over the holidays you see their families, you know what’s going on,” he says. Barbers do more than cut hair. They’ll also trim inside and around ears, tame bushy eyebrows and skim bald domes. They rarely shampoo hair but will if asked. Heated shaving cream and a straight edge is used on the neck and around the ears. Some barbers will trim beards with or without a haircut. Trimming beards is done with a haircut at Schnetter’s shop, but face shaves are not done anymore, Schnetter says.
Styles, Services, and the Scope of a Barbershop
Right now, the messy, bedhead look prevails. “It’s less refined,” says Schnetter, a barber and owner of Earl’s Barbers in Sioux Falls. “I’m anxious for it to come back to a combed look. It shows off a nice smooth haircut.” Fortunate for customers, barber shops offer quick, efficient service: with a comb and a snip, a whisk and a puff, the customer is on his way in minutes. While walk-ins are typical, some barbers take appointments, too. The focus remains on delivering a classic, groomed look with minimal maintenance afterward.
Age counts when you go to a barber, clients say. Men want someone with a lot of experience. “You don’t want to get your ear cut off,” one customer jokes. There are also differences between professions: “Cosmetologists have a beauty license, and barbers have a barber license. We don’t do fingernails; they don’t do shaves,” Schnetter explains. “Barbers cut a style, beauticians style a cut.”
Barbers do more than cut hair. They’ll trim around ears, tame eyebrows, and provide beard trimming as part of a haircut. Some barbers will trim beards with or without a haircut. Face shaving, however, is not common anymore due to time and health considerations. “Face shaving bailed out around the time AIDS came around,” he says. Super-short haircuts are gaining acceptance; some young men prefer a high-and-tight style, a military cut, according to Thode.
Industry Realities: Economics, Locations, and Careers
The barbering business is evolving. Nine years ago, Schnetter became a Sioux Falls firefighter, too, showing how barriers between trades can blur. For Strom, as the sole barber, “I can’t get sick.” He has no workers’ compensation or paid vacation. “If I’m not here, I don’t get paid.” Strom has health insurance through his wife’s job and supplements his income with an Internet business. For Thode, at 63, there’s no retirement in sight. While there may be many drawbacks to owning a small business, he’s not grumbling. “I like to meet the people. It would be hard to give up my old customers.”
Forty years ago, being a barber represented a stable living - that’s what enticed Thode, a farm kid from Hardwick, Minn., to go to nine months of barber school and finish a two-year apprenticeship. With no worries about the weather affecting his livelihood, he says, “I thought it would be a comfortable, steady living.”
Barber shop history is steeped in tradition and masculine camaraderie. Evidence of barbering implements has been found in Egyptian tombs from 6,000 years ago. The barber pole itself tells a story of surgeons who performed blood-letting and teeth pulling; the red and white pole evolved from soaked bandages hung outside to signal the barber’s trade. By the mid-1700s, blood-letting had fallen out of favor, but the tradition persisted into the 1800s. When safety razors came into general use in the 1920s, visits to barber shops for a shave and a haircut declined. Employment of barbers is projected to grow 7 percent-slower than the average for all occupations. Physical stamina is important for barbers because they are on their feet for most of their shift.
There are 24 licensed barber shops in Sioux Falls, according to the South Dakota Board of Barber Examiners. The South Dakota Traditions series highlights local personalities, places, and events, including barbershops such as Mister Strom’s Barbershop, established to deliver a professional experience while uplifting the community. The team at The Artist's Club Barber, for example, emphasizes growth, community, and legacy in their craft.
Historical Voices and Present Day Perspectives
“Great Clips and Cost Cutters have ruined business for barbers. Now you can go to Walmart for a haircut,” Thode says. There used to be a barber in every small town; now, “the moms take the kids to where they get their hair done instead of the dads taking them to the barbershop.”
In the modern era, the barber shop remains a hub of conversation, camaraderie, and quick service. The appeal of a classic cut, the skill of the barber, and the intimate knowledge of their regular clients sustain the heart of barbering despite broader market changes.
- Barber shops preserve masculine traditions and craft.
- Loyal customer relationships span decades and generations.
- Service emphasizes quick, practical haircuts with minimal maintenance.
- Historical evolution from barber-surgeons to modern professional barbers.
Gran Torino (2008) - Barbershop Scene
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