Page:Brunswick 100 Years of Memories.pdf/101

From Brunswick MD History
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has not been proofread

Mr. Flynn's customers offered him a "drink," he

gladly accepted, but instead of drinking it at the time, he simply poured it into a small paper cup, saying he'd drink it later. But instead of drinking it he'd pour it into a bottle and store it in a room over the shop. When Mr. Flynn died, gallons and gallons of whiskey were found in that upstairs room. Cliff Porter was also one of Brunswick's colorful barbers who had a thriving business during the 1920's and 30's; however, when Cliff decided he needed time off, he just closed up shop. Richard Magalis barbered in a shop in the Funk home at 13 "A" Street in the 1930's and later expanded into a beauty parlor. Young George Merriman apprenticed under Cliff Porter and lateroperated the barber shop at the YMCA from the late 1940's until his death in the 1960's. The "shop talk" at George Merriman's barber shop was always BASEBALL. Herb Price barbered in a small room in Hudson's Row (south side 200's West Potomac Street) during the Depression Years; also during those years, Wilbur Hinkins operated a shop in the small narrow room that is attached to what is now the Metropolitan Tavern. Frank Cover and Cliff Porter also rented that same little room from time to time for barbering. Walt Ambrose had several locations over the years. One was in a small room next to Werntz's grocery store; another was a shop next to Barker's store on New York Hill, and his last location was a room in a building that he bought which was across the street from the YMCA. This shop haCL two chairs and Walt hired other local barbers from time to time to work for him. Wilbur Hinkins worked for him at one time as did Frank Wenner, who eventually took over the shop location after Walt died. Frank later moved his shop into the Katie Barnard property. During the 1930's Lewis Baker operated a shop in the back of the basement at the Redmen's Hall; Bob LaRue had a shop in the room next to Horine' s Drug Store. In Brunswick's Hall of Fame of Barbers we had Raymond Wigington, William Werking, John Cunningham, Edison Triplett, Norman Runkles, Frank Snoots, Frank Cover, Ray Compton, and Ike Brubaker - the last of whom also did tatooing! Charlie Porter was also one of Brunswick's flamboyant personalities in the barbering business. Charlie was the Clown Prince of Foolishness in Brunswick. Hethoroughlyenjoyed playingthepart of TARZAN and appearing in a skimpy animal-skin (fig-leaf-type of covering) and being caged on a float in all of the parades and doing his Tarzan Call that sounded as if he had just escaped from a nearby mountain retreat. But when it came to barbering, Charlie was a good one and Bill Cage apprenticed

102

under him. Bill eventually was a very successful barber who operated his shop for many years in the basement of his home on West "B" Street. Robert Derflinger and Ralph Moore were also Brunswick barbers who operated their business in their homes. In the 1960's when Brunswick was celebrating the Diamond Jubilee, there were two barbers, John and Dana Vintamiglia - father and son - who cut the whiskers of the contestants in the Brunswick Diamond Jubilee. During the 1930's Depression Years, a haircut cost 25 cents and a shave was 15 cents. However, Walt Ambrose, one of the town's leading barbers for many years, was quoted as saying, "If you work for nothing, you have nothing!" (He charged 20 cents for a shave and 35 cents for a haircut!) Kenneth Harshman was the last, lone barber shop owner, and he brought in a licensed replacement before his retirement at the close of 1989; SHE assumed duties atthe beginning of 1990 and was the first female barber in town that could be remembered by the book's resource people. Now she has a new barber working with her. Meet Miss Karen Poole and Mrs. Cheryl Jones. The era of the male barber shops has drifted by - the ladies have taken over the business. Most beauty salons today are unisex and they do haircuts for women AND men, as well as hair styling, hair coloring, and permanents for the gentlemen! W -BLC

TONSORIAL CONSIDERATIONS from Bill Cage Research has uncovered the names of many barbers in Brunswick from the 1920's to the present. Bill Cage, a railroad policeman until retirement in 1978, had barbering as a second career. During the Depression decade, Bill at the age of eleven began to cut hair in his home on West B Street. His subjects were kids and even several men. He used hand clippers from Sears and a dusting brush, both of which he still possesses. Edison Triplett, a downtown barber, enlisted Bill to work for him on Potomac Street in the Meadows building at4 West Potomac Street. Bill worked there after school and on Saturdays before going to work for Charlie Porter. After graduation, Bill Cage worked in Gaithersburg for a year b efore returning to Brunswick,