THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 15, 1994 TAG: 9409140175
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 10 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: BY JOAN C. STANUS, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 142 lines
NOT EVERYBODY who walks into Jack's Barber Shop dislikes Bill Clinton.
But many do.
Not everybody who plops down $7 for one of Ronny Johns' ``regular'' trims is a Washington Redskins fan.
But many are.
In this neighborhood barber shop, nestled between a women's boutique and an appliance service store in a prominent Ocean View strip mall, politics lean to the right, jokes fly as fast as scissors and New Wave haircuts, rock music and mousse are nowhere to be found.
Instead, this ``good ol' boy barbershop'' treats customers to a snippet of Americana rarely found anymore. It's a place where old friends gather to discuss the daily news, swap tall tales or pick on each other. Where haircuts are above the ears, and a collection of more than 1,000 beer bottles and cans line the shelves. Where soap operas blare from the TV, and political posters, NASCAR calendars and ``Impeach Clinton'' bumper stickers decorate the walls.
Located in the heart of Norfolk's Navy community and run by former Navy barbers, Jack's has a decidedly military flair. Shop talk about deployments, changes of command and global trouble spots are always hot topics.
Still, few regulars willingly admit they come for the ambiance rather than a trim.
``I come here to get a haircut,'' deadpanned John Bein, a long-term customer. Bein, like many of the shop's regulars, is retired Navy.
``And his wife can come and sit down and have some fun, too,'' piped in Grace Bein. ``We've been coming here for almost 30 years.''
After a trim and a shave one recent afternoon, Bien admitted other shops are closer to his home in East Ocean View. Nonetheless, he drives the extra miles every few weeks to come to Jack's. ``I guess I like the homeyness here,'' he said.
Almost on cue, shop owner Ronny Johns turned to the Beins and said: ``Oh, I almost forgot. Here, take some of this bread with you. How about some with raisins?''
Everyone in the shop turned, expecting a punch line.
``No, really,'' said Johns, with a sly grin. ``A customer dropped this box of day-old bread off this morning and told me to give it to my customers.''
``Hey, you got any tomatoes to go with it?'' joked John Bein.
``No, but I've got some shark jaws over there,'' countered Johns. ``One belongs to my wife, but she's airing it out.''
With a heart bigger than a bread box and a wit that's razor sharp, Johns has been running Jack's with a homespun neighborliness for 35 years. The Chesapeake Boulevard shop was established in 1947 by Jack Strickland; Johns bought the business in 1959 after a stint as a Navy barber.
``It has a good name, so I kept it,'' explained the 56-year-old white-haired grandfather from Virginia Beach. ``Quite a few customers have been coming around here for haircuts longer than I've worked here. We've got a lot of third-generation customers.''
Customers like Bob Banks, who had his grandson, Mark Beachum, 13, in for a trim right after Bein.
``How would you like it cut?'' Johns asked the Rosemont Middle School teenager as he settled into the barber chair. ``I can cut it any way you want. Do you want it with a squared back, boxed off, or tapered?''
Before the confused teen could answer, his grandfather hollered over from the next chair. ``Taper it!''
``OK,'' said Mark, obviously relieved he didn't have to make the decision.
As he cut the teen's hair, Johns settled into a conversation with a handful of customers sitting comfortably in chairs situated along the shop's picture windows.
``After 30 years, you don't have customers, they become your friends,'' Johns explained to an interested visitor during a break in the good-natured bantering. ``People come in every day to harass us, cuss at us or just tell us a few jokes. There are a lot of characters around this neighborhood.''
``And they all come in here,'' added Johns' sidekick, barber Bobby Cottrell, also retired from the Navy. ``We've got more comedians in here than they do in Las Vegas. This is a happening place around here.''
Except when the Redskins lose.
``It's bad news around here when that happens,'' noted longtime customer Paul Taylor, a 63-year-old civil servant.
Still, even on those gloomy after-the-mornings, the regulars come by to rehash the game and figure out what went wrong.
Despite the chumminess found at Jack's, however, this is no closed society. Newcomers who can handle the politics, the barrage of corny jokes and regular haircuts are eagerly welcomed into the fold.
``I've only been coming here for six months but I really like it. I just like old-time barber shops,'' explained 22-year-old Chris Griffin, a Navy jet mechanic who lives in Willoughby. ``They take their time and they do a good job.''
No bowl cuts or blow dries at Jack's.
``We give people a haircut they can be proud of,'' said Johns.
``The atmosphere is free.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff color photos by JIM WALKER
John kisses his 4-year-old granddaughter, Nicole Johns, who came by
for a lollipop.
Ron Johns, owners of Jack's Barber Shop, gives John Sauvan a trim.
Sauvan has been a customer for 30 years.
[These two photos appeared on the cover of this issue]
Staff photos by JIM WALKER
Bryce Anglen, 4, a third-generation customer, gets a trim from
former Navy barber Bobby Cottrell. ``This is a happening place
around here,'' Cottrell says.
Rich Shivilski, Terry Anglen, Charles Doublas Bull and Bryce Anglen
get haircuts from barbers Jerry Hatley, Ronny Johns, center, and
Bobby Cottrell.
Staff photo by LAWRENCE JACKSON
Owner Ron Jones cuts Eddie Willard's hair. Eddie got his first
haircut at Jack's.
Terry Anglen came to Jack's for a haircut and took home a
watermelon. The shop, located in the heart of Norfolk's Navy
community, is well known for its friendly atmosphere.
At Jack's, more than 1,000 beer cans and bottles line the shelves,
and politics and the Washington Redskins are hot topics.
Customers awaiting their turn talk and relax at Jack's Barber Shop.
by CNB