Traveling barber chairs

More News Harpo plays for children Moon in court for child porn Whitman Hotel clears hurdle Mercury rule upheld in house Sports

POCATELLO — Bob Daulton is a throwback barber who envisioned opening a retro barbershop.

Thanks to an offer that fell into Daulton’s lap, his business, Bobby D’s Barber Shop, may take old-timers who venture inside back to the heyday of the former Bannock Hotel.

While Daulton was busy attempting to overhaul the long-vacant and dilapidated Tom’s Gyros building, located at 1156 N. Main St., to open a family barbershop and coffee shop, local businessman Art Paz stopped by to make him a remarkable offer.

Paz, also an accomplished barber, had two old-fashioned barber chairs in storage, along with an antique, rotating barber pole. They were salvaged from the old Bannock Hotel, which housed what Paz considers to be the best barber shop ever to grace Pocatello. The Bannock was demolished nearly three decades ago.

Paz sold both black leather chairs with heavy-duty steel construction, originally built in 1962, to Daulton for a total of $1,000. He threw in the barber pole, which dates back to 1922, for free.

Daulton later found the chairs listed for $3,600 each on Ebay.

“When (Paz) told me what they were, I almost fell over myself trying to get to them,” Daulton said. “It just brings back the good old days of the old barbers, and that’s what I’m trying to be.”

Daulton was shocked to find the chairs in near mint condition after so many years.

“(Customers) all come in and say, ‘Hey, man! It’s an old-time barber shop,” Daulton said. “But there’s a couple of other barbershops in town that have got the old chairs, too. They’re kind of unique to find anymore, especially in that condition.”

The chairs originally belonged to Bill Whitehead, and Paz doubts there ever was a barber in the Gate City to rival him.

“It was just beautiful inside. He had a shoe shiner. He was a union barber shop. That was a first-class barber shop,” Paz said. “He did all of the college kids, all of the flat tops, all of the new looks. He probably was the best barber in town.”

But Whitehead had to hand up his scissors early due to a snowmobiling accident that injured his hands. Paz bought his three barber chairs and moved them into the barbershop of the old Whitman Hotel. Paz and Frank Wegner, a barber Paz considered to be second only to Whitehead, opened shop together.

“He probably could have cut hair for the rest of his life until his hands got messed up,” Paz said.

A short while later, Paz left the Whitman and moved the chairs into his own barbershop. Paz later sold it to his nephew, who now runs Henry’s Hair Design at the location, 151 S. Arthur Ave.

Paz took the chairs with him.

Paz displayed two of the chairs at a friend’s antique store. He put them in storage when they didn’t sell. The third chair also remains in service — he set it up in his garage, where he gives haircuts to his grandsons.

Although he’s turned down generous offers for the chairs from local tattoo parlors, Paz said he was glad to sell them at a substantially discounted rate to an aspiring barber.

“I wanted them to be in a barbershop somewhere,” Paz said. “To come in here at (Daulton’s) age and start up, I’m hoping it works out for him. I think he’s going to be great there doing that.”

Paz even offered to be an occasional substitute for Daulton.

Daulton, who recently graduated from barber college in Albuquerque, N.M., runs the barbershop while his daughters manage the coffee shop, Sunrise Sippers, that’s separated in the same building by a wall.

Daulton offers shaves with hot towels and a straight-edge razor for his customers — the way the old barbers used to do it — and gives hand massages with an old-fashioned barbers’ massager.

Daulton served in the U.S. Air Force and worked on a helicopter rescue team deployed after the eruption of Mt. St. Helen.

He also graduated from mechanics school at Idaho State University, and he and his father ran American Battery together for 13 years.

In his free time, he’s a drum player and vocalist with the local band Battery Park.

Although business has been steady at the coffee shop, he said it’s been slow so far at the barber shop.

“It just takes time to get a new business going,” Daulton said.

By John O’Connell

Current Rating: 0 of 0 votes!

Rate File: Select Rating: * ** *** ****

Reader Comments

Submit a Comment

Commenting Rules

Report a Comment