Roomier, and a bit more rustic, environs await customers at Shields Barbershop, which reopened its doors Friday in its new location at 7 N. Jefferson Ave.
Greg Shields formerly cut hair next door to the post office for about 13 years on West Street before buying his “new” building on Jefferson.
The building was formerly a warehouse, Shields said, and fits his needs perfectly.
“Now, people sitting in the waiting area can stretch out without hitting the legs of people sitting in the barber’s chair,” he joked.
Shields walled off the rear portion of the building to house his barbershop, which is accessible through the alley.
Padded chairs in the waiting area are more comfortable than anything he had in his old shop, Shields admitted, and a pair of televisions will be installed this week.
The barbershop will double as a waiting room for parents of children who wrestle, explained Shields, a coach of the Allen County Wrestling Club.
Shields eventually will convert the rest of the warehouse into a wrestling facility for local youth.
The barbershop will retain much of the building’s original rustic look, Shields said. Barred windows will remain, as will original brick and plaster surfaces on the walls.
He plans to install a new awning outside soon, with a neon light or two to make the shop more visible to passersby.
“I’m losing some visibility from my old location,” he said, “but I’m gaining space, and I have a lot more parking available.”
A nearby municipal parking lot is accessible from Sycamore Street.
A new fixture in the barbershop is a 10-foot-long cedar log shelf to hold his supplies and other photos.
Shields is open 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, from 8 to 5:30 Tuesday through Friday and from 8 to noon Saturday. Shields is closed from noon to 1 p.m. for lunch.
Shields Barbershop relocates
