With Knox Barber Myron Brown approaching 50 years of cutting hair in the Kankakee Valley, he looked back on his time here and recalled his decision to come to Knox.
“Years back we had a barber union, and when I checked with them they told me about a shop in Knox. I came here, and stayed for all of these years. I’ve actually been in four different locations in the town,” Brown remembered.
Myron said he originally wanted to be a veterinarian, but money was tight, so he decided to become a barber in order to save up money for school.
“That didn’t happen,” said Brown. “I got into the profession and stayed.”
After fifty years in the barbershop business, Brown has seen hairstyles come and go. He says styles were a lot different in 1962.
“It was mostly short hair. I did a real good flat-top. We of course had a lot of military type hair cuts with the short sides,” Brown said.
Just a few short years later, long hair became more popular, so Brown picked up the shears to tackle lengthy locks.
“I decided I’d like to cut long hair during the ‘hippie’ era. I cut long hair and charged more for it. I did quite well,” he said.
Haircuts at Myron’s Barber Shop are $14 now, but Brown says it used to be significantly cheaper at less than two dollars.
A barber must have the gift of gab and be knowledgeable about a lot of subjects, and Brown says he can give you a steady stream of opinions.
“Yes I can tell you all about divorces, what not to do and what to do. I can advise you on a lot of things. Of course you better not believe all I say, it might get you in trouble,” laughed Brown.
Being in business for such a long time has given Brown the opportunity to develop a number of regular customers.
“I have given Howard Bashore a hair cut every two weeks since 1962, and Joe Romenzak and Jim Sidell have gotten a hair cut every month since 1962,” Brown said.
Brown’s shop is located behind the Burger King Restaurant. When asked if he might do something on the exact 50th date in September he said, “I don’t know, maybe I’ll just have a free day for all of my customers.”
