Back in time: Dan’s Barber Shop a joy since 1957

A faded, peeling sign in the parking lot of Dan’s Barbershop on North Monroe Street reads, “Haircuts for the entire family … crew cuts, flat tops, shaves, long hair, short hair, no hair … .”

That pretty much sums up the straightforward service generations of loyal customers expect at Dan’s. On Christmas Eve the business celebrated its 50th anniversary.

Original owner Dionisios “Dan” Flambouras built the shop in 1957. Sadly, Flambouras died on Dec. 12. “We dug the foundation by hand,” said his son, Frank. “And within six months we were adding on. Dad was the fastest and best barber I ever saw.” The family now leases the business to Jack Lathrop, but Frank stopped in recently to greet the staff.

Stepping into the barbershop is like stepping back in time. Customers walk across the cracked linoleum to sit in the original cream and green upholstered barber chairs. The unique horseshoe-shaped seats with their metal foot stands are as old-fashioned as the price of their haircuts. “Eight dollars,” said Lathrop. “It’s about the lowest price in town.” And you can put away your checkbook and credit cards; Dan’s Barbershop is a cash-only enterprise.

Barber Mike Tabit has cut hair at Dan’s for 41 years. He said when he began working at the shop, kid’s haircuts were $1 and adult cuts were $1.50. A steady stream of regular patrons waited for Tabit to wield his razor over their heads.

Lathrop said more than just the price of a haircut has changed since Dan’s opened. Rules and red tape from the state Legislature have made running a shop like this more complicated.

“Used to be barbers cut men’s hair and beauticians cut women’s,” he said with a shake of his head.

Like bartenders, barbers tend to hear it all and see some unusual situations. “Only we can’t walk away,” said Lathrop. “We’re a captive audience.” For example, kids’ first haircuts are always unpredictable. “We get screamers. We get pukers. But we get the fun ones, too,” said Lathrop. And then there are the touching stories. He recalled one elderly gentleman who came in and asked for a mohawk. “His grandson was ill with cancer, and he wanted to make him laugh,” Lathrop said.

In addition to haircuts, customers can get hot shaves with a straight-edge razor. “A lot of college kids come in for them on a dare or to celebrate something,” Lathrop said. He chuckled and added, “We always have a few chicken out.”

Another piece of nostalgia is a shoeshine station that rests in a corner of the shop. For 18 years David Johnson came in and shined shoes. “He was retired but wanted to get out of the house,” Tabit said. Johnson had health issues and eventually quit coming in. Customers still ask about him, but no one at Dan’s has seen or heard from him in quite awhile.

While the boom box played, “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown,” one gentleman had his gray hair trimmed into a tidy flattop while a mustachioed fellow had his head completely shaved. The shop has never had to advertise. On a recent Sunday, four generations of the same family came in for haircuts.

According to Lathrop the clientele is mainly men, but they do have female customers as well. “We get everything from skid-row bums to doctors and lawyers,” he added. He estimates 30 percent of their business used to be military personnel. “We don’t see as many now that they’re all deployed.”

The barbershop has on occasion given free haircuts to those in need. Mike Tabit recalled one such individual. “A guy came in and said he was looking for work. He needed a haircut,” Tabit recalled. “I cut his hair for free.” A few months later the fellow returned to thank them. “He owns his own business now.”

Dan’s Barbershop is no fancy salon for metrosexuals. Folks hoping for facials and pedicures had best look elsewhere. What you get at Dan’s is simple: a haircut or a hot shave. And that’s just what longtime customers like best.

When asked about retirement plans, Mike Tabit is adamant. Even after four decades of cutting hair in the shop, he has no plans to leave. He said, “This is my home away from home. I love my job. I love my customers. I might give out, but I ain’t gonna give up.”