This month, after nearly a year under new ownership, the barbershop at 6026 NE Glisan Street received a new name. Window lettering and a sign reading Beck’s Barbershop now adorn the easternmost storefront in the 1911-era building. The new name is the first methodically paced change planned for a business that values the stability of a classic profession.
Rebecca Sweesy began working at this location in April 2021, when the shop was named Lyle’s Barber Shop. She transitioned from working across town and started fresh with a new group of clients. Two years later, Sweesy had found her community and purchased the business from Brian Burt, who opened the barbershop in 2017.
Burt invested substantial effort into crafting a space honoring the centuries-old barber tradition. It features antique chairs, an iconic barber pole, and wood-paneled stations. Rebecca Sweesy appreciated the aesthetic and bought all the furnishings, keeping the space as it was. Changing the shop’s name to reference her childhood nickname was a leap for Sweesy, and future updates will receive equal consideration. “It’s good to do one thing at a time. I can do the signage and the name change. Let that settle. Then I’m going to paint and let that settle in over the next month, and then maybe I’ll add credit cards in the new year, making one change at a time rather than a billion things at once,” explained Sweesy.
This shop is a cash-only establishment, and although they see the benefits of taking other payment types, accepting credit cards is complicated. Each barber operates as an independent contractor who handles their own money. Consequentially, everyone working there must agree on a unified processor and the added fees before they can start taking cards. “When you run a credit card, it’s a 3% charge. Keeping the economy in mind and how much people struggle right now, I didn’t want to give people a 3% increase just for coming in to get a haircut,” said Sweesy. Client feedback will determine how soon they move to credit cards, but it will likely happen at some point.
The five-chair shop currently has three barbers, including the owner. “I’m still a barber first, and I always will be,” said Sweesy. That craftsman-first approach and the independent nature of the people working at Beck’s Barbershop made the change in ownership easier for customers who saw little change. Feedback over the year of transition has been positive. The next challenge for the shop will come from filling the two empty chairs with experienced people who value strong customer and community relationships.
The shop survives on barbers paying rent to the business. However, Sweesy knows from experience moving into a new area will require time to build a client base. “With the economy being the way it is, I felt it might be difficult to ask a barber to pay a flat rate every week or every month. So I usually offer a commission [based rate] at first, and then I will move the barber into booth rate over time,” explained Sweesy. This pricing method supports people in the trade and helps attract individuals looking to build a positive reputation within a community over time.
Beck’s Barbershop is open Monday through Saturday and asks that you make an appointment online. They offer razor shaves and sculpting along with traditional cuts. Although the majority of customers are male identifying, they accept all people over the age of nine. Business is returning to pre-pandemic levels, but they hope more people will try them out. Rebecca “Beck” Sweesy thinks they will win your business because, as the shop’s painted slogan declares, “Pride produces quality work,” and they care about how good you look.
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