Photography by Donovan Roberts Witmer
Think of a traditional barbershop and memories from bygone eras likely come to mind. A spiraled pole hangs outside of a shop where men are always welcome, greeting each other casually, swapping stories as they wait their turn for the chair. The barber takes his time with each client, refining the relationship as much as the hairstyle.
During more recent years, the traditional barbershop was heading out of style. Decades passed, and meanwhile busy lives and convenience made chain salons the preference while barbershop clientele dwindled. However, a trend toward classic styles and a need for personal connection revived the business with a new generation of barbers. This group, present in each region of the Susquehanna Valley, is bringing back the ways of the past with a punchy twist. Read along as we share the stories of three new traditional barbers in Central Pennsylvania.
Courtney “Chops” DeRosier, Chops Barbershop, Harrisburg
Courtney DeRosier stands behind his red leather barber chair, billowing a cape that is black and white and patterned with vintage barber tools. “The usual?” he asks, as he buttons it on his first customer of the day.
This question begins most of DeRosier’s appointments, he says, explaining that men usually stick to a single, classic style that works with their hair type. “There’s really not much more a man’s head will do,” he jokes, before rattling off a list of a few of the cuts he performs on a day-to-day basis: the undercut, the high-and-tight, the taper cut. He claims that these time-tested styles, although now considered “trendy,” are simply classic barbershop looks that have regained popularity.
But DeRosier, or “Chops” as his clients know him, wasn’t always the skilled barber he is today. After decades spent as a truck driver, a rapidly declining economy finally motivated DeRosier to enroll in barber school. However, the resurgence of traditional barbering had not hit the Susquehanna Valley in the mid-2000s, and demand was low at that time. “I had to convince people to go to a barbershop then,” he says. “Now they search us out.”
Although being on the forefront of the barbering movement in Harrisburg made for a rough start, DeRosier benefitted greatly in the long run. His shop, which has now been open for five years, is one of the most popular in the area. In fact, Chop’s Barbershop is by appointment only, and new clients can expect a six- to eight-week wait time to get in his chair. Special exceptions are made for regulars, which most of DeRosier’s customers are. “Our regulars are our business partners,” he says, crediting his loyal clients for his success.
Of course, Ashley Merris, DeRosier’s partner in business and life, should be recognized for the shop’s achievement too. “It’s really Ashley’s fault it’s blown up the way it has,” he quips. Merris keeps the shop in working order—on site and online—while DeRosier cuts. She has also created a line of natural barbering products called The American Gentleman Soap Co., giving their customers a locally-made option for shave soaps, beard oils and pomades.
DeRosier says that after five moves in almost as many years, Chops Barbershop has finally found a permanent home on Front Street. And it seems like their high demand isn’t going anywhere either. “Women have had the opportunity to get good haircuts for years, but men haven’t,” says DeRosier. “Now they’re taking advantage of it.”
The Customer: Drew Harmeling, Harrisburg
The Cut: Harmeling, a Chops Barbershop client for two years, has hair that is straight, thick, and grows in several directions, making styling options limited. DeRosier opts for a traditional taper cut, trimming much of the hair by hand with shears. “It’s more like sculpting,” DeRosier explains.
Chops, Harrisburg | www.chopsbarbershop.com | 717-379-5993
Jonathan Leitzel, The Black Comb, Lancaster
The talent at The Black Comb makes a convincing argument that new traditional barbering is a young man’s game. “I’m thirty-three,” says owner Jonathan Leitzel. “I’m the oldest one here.”
The shop, newly opened at its second location on East Orange Street in downtown Lancaster, has a youthful vibe, too. Tattoo sketches and taxidermied animals appear throughout the long, narrow space. Nineties hip-hop plays quietly from the stereo as Leitzel and Even Demers, one of his four barbers, chat about what’s drawing younger men to this career. “I think people are realizing quality over quantity is important,” explains Leitzel. “We’re getting into older trades and the older ways of doing things.”
Leitzel’s experience is like that of so many millenials. After pursuing a degree in art education, he spent more than two years searching for a teaching position, but without any success. “I didn’t want to waste more time and get more debt by going to grad school, so I started to explore trades,” he says. “Now I wish I would have gone to barber school right off the bat instead of college.” Leitzel says he never worries about job security now. After all, someone is always going to need a haircut.
Similar stories are echoed by Demers and the shop apprentice, who were drawn to The Black Comb’s unique style, creative freedom, and, of course, the people. And it’s true; when you’re sitting in the shop, it’s hard to tell if these guys are coworkers or just good friends. Leitzel says both. “We’re basically like brothers…that’s what sets us apart. All the guys in here have great personalities, and customers come here for that experience.”
It’s not only twenty-somethings who love it here. Their oldest client, at seventy-one, comes in the shop several days each week just to hang out. “We actually named our senior cut after him,” Leitzel says.
Young or old, Leitzel hopes that coming to The Black Comb helps men of all ages to change their mentality about getting their hair cut. ”In general, guys tend to view haircuts as a chore, like going to the dentist or going to the DMV,” he says. “But here, people are excited to come in and see us, and we get excited to see our clients too.”
The Customer: Larry Martin, Lancaster
The Cut: For Martin, Leitzel creates a classic look with an on-trend twist. On top, he trims a side-parted style. Below, he creates a skin fade by shaving the hair all the way down to Martin’s skin at his nape, and then blending the hair for an even fade. “Skin fades are probably what we are best known for,” Leitzel says. “They’re probably about half of our haircuts every day.”
John Shilling, DiDi and Smiling John’s, York
Walking into Didi and Smiling John’s is like taking a peek in your mother’s curio cabinet. Antique tchotchkes abound. Vintage beer signs and shaving cream ads hang on walls painted in a retro shade of turquoise. A quirky lamp with a base of Elvis Presley’s bust lights a corner of John Shilling’s workstation. “We’re all about the culture of the mid-century, everything about the ‘50s,” says Shilling, explaining the décor and their overall approach. “The culture of cars, bikes, family, but even more so, relationships.”
Ask any one of Shilling’s clients, and they’ll agree. It’s that personal connection that has made Didi and Smiling John’s the place Yorkers come again and again, bringing their families, referring their friends. And John’s clients include gentlemen of all ages. “I cut everyone from the newly born to the almost dead,” says Shilling, a comment that rings true to his snarky and highly amusing banter. It could be argued that his customers come for that, too. “I always say barbering is forty percent cutting hair and sixty percent entertainment.”
Don’t think Shilling’s sense of humor makes him any less approachable, though. While he talks about his history, Shilling trims the hair of a sweet four-year-old who lovingly refers to him as “Mister John.” Once he’s done with his cut, the boy hops out of the seat and dashes over to the lollipop jar. “He’s been coming here since his first haircut,” says Shilling.
In fact, many of John’s customers have been coming to him for years, even at their previous location on South George Street. Now, at their new shop in downtown York’s hippest neighborhood, Royal Square, the location is much more conducive to foot traffic, which is important as it is a walk-in-only business.
But really, Shilling explains that the move was out of necessity. “We were so busy; we couldn’t handle it,” he says. “We didn’t expect the following we have.” To keep up with the demand, they hired additional employees, and now have multiple barbers and additional hairstylists to assist Shilling’s wife, Devon or “DiDi,” with their female clientele.
Seeing Shilling behind the barber’s chair, it’s clear that he also has a passion for the trade. After years of working odd jobs and manual labor, he decided to go to barbering school. Six years later, he still uses the traditional cuts he learned in school for his customers—pompadours, side parts and slicked back looks are only a few of the styles he creates. No doubt, he loves his job. “I started doing this, and I haven’t worked a day since,” he says.
The Customer: Tony Billet, York
The Cut: Shilling uses both clippers and shears to create a pompadour for Billet, who has been wearing this style for years. A heavy-hold pomade and fine-tooth comb gives the lift needed for this look. Additionally, Shilling adds dimension and shape to Billet’s beard with clippers