Last call for haircuts at Lincoln Heights Barber Shop

After running their own barbershop since 1961, twin barbers Bill and Jeff Haines, 67, will close up the Lincoln Heights Barber Shop, 2824 E. 29th Ave., for the last time on Saturday.

“Our clientele has grown older,” Jeff said. “There are just not enough new faces.”

The two have always been together; Jeff was born two hours before Bill.

They both went to Rogers High School and often cut their friends’ hair. Their father, Arthur, ran Art’s Barber Shop, and he encouraged them to give it a try.

They both apprenticed under other barbers – Bill was at the South Side Barber Shop on 30th Avenue, and Jeff was working in Millwood.

In 1961, the two formed a business partnership and took over the South Side Barber Shop.

The “Twinnies,” as they were known, had a reputation for cutting children’s hair, and moms would bring their little boys to the barbers. Back then, an adult could get his hair cut for $1.75. Kids could get theirs done for $1.50.

Bill moved to the building at Lincoln Heights in 1968, while Jeff closed up shop at the old location and joined him in the following November.

“That was the year of the big winter,” Jeff said. “The big snow.”

The two remember large flatbed trucks came to pick up all the snow from the parking lots in the area to be dumped in nearby gullies. Regal was just a two-lane road, and folks even rode horses in the neighborhood.

They said they remember when the Zip’s used to be an Arctic Circle, and China South was an A&W.

The KFC was built in 1969, and they remember when the traffic light was put up in 1970.

During the holidays, the local merchant’s association would pool some funds to light up a giant tree in the Lincoln Heights parking lot and put large candles up on the light posts.

“That really gave you that feel of Christmas,” Jeff said.

They watched the neighborhood grow and change over the years, as well as their own business. When they first started, mothers would bring their little boys in for a haircut during the day since many of them were stay-at-home mothers at the time. At some point, moms brought in their sons after they got off of work as women started joining the work force. They also saw the advent of chain barbershops and salons such as Supercuts.

Another change over the years was the shift of the barbershop being a social gathering place. Customers would come in to hear about what is going on with their neighbors.

Of course, hairstyles have changed in 46 years. When they started, crew cuts and flattops were the most common haircuts.

After 46 years in the business, they’ve been in contact with many, many residents and estimate they’ve done somewhere in the neighborhood of 250,000 haircuts.

Every day hasn’t been busy, but they know they’ve cut a lot of hair.

“It’ll be chicken one day and feathers the next,” Jeff said.

The two spend many hours together, and they feel that the reason they still get along so well is because they are twins.

“There is some kind of special bond when you are identical twins,” Jeff said.

Jeff describes them as mirror twins. For example, Bill is left-handed, and Jeff is right-handed.

The two moved their business again in 1987 to the basement level of the building. They had been leasing the building from Bill Harrington for all these years.

“He was our landlord for 39 years and he was wonderful,” Jeff said.

Bill has four children, Jeff has two, and they have many, many grandchildren. They are looking forward to the opportunity to spend more time with their grandkids now that they are retiring.

They probably want to spend more time with their wives, too. Bill’s wife, Bev, retired as a registered nurse three years ago. Jeff’s wife, Kathy, is still working as a registered nurse.

The twins had been thinking about selling their business for a few years. They had hoped to find a young barber to buy it, or maybe someone to set up a salon.

“We had a few offers, but there just aren’t any young barbers anymore,” Bill said.

In mid-October, their lease was running out and the building was sold. They decided that it was the right time to retire, but retirement isn’t going to slow them down.

They like to hunt, fish, travel, ride bicycles and Bill is especially looking forward to attending Seahawks games.

“The first thing I’m going to do is forget to set the alarm,” Bill said.