Barber retires after 38 years
Published 7:05 pm Thursday, October 2, 2008
Ed Lamb has seen generations come and go from his barber’s
chair in downtown Snoqualmie. But after 38 years in business, Lamb has
decided to hand over the scissors and razor to the new owner and longtime
friend Jerry Main.
The barbers’ friendship has spanned more than three decades
and began when the two men both volunteered for the fire department. In
fact, it was a dream about their fiery past that spurred Main to buy the shop.
“I had a dream that me and Ed were on a big fire truck … and Ed
shut off the water, and back then he used to call me Maynard G. Krebs
(of “Dobie Gillis” TV show fame), and he said, `Maynard, you’re going to
buy my barber shop,'” Main recalled. “So I called Ed and said, `Let’s talk’
and he said, `Yeah, yeah’ and he thought it was terrific.”
“My wife Sue was shocked, but supportive and happy for me,”
he added.
Before the night time vision, Main said he never thought about
owning his own shop or even buying his longtime friend’s business. But once
he realized it was an attainable goal, he jumped at the opportunity.
“I have been working at a company for 21 years, and with the
driving, stress and everything, I wanted to just kind of relax and enjoy the
hometown that I live in,” he said.
The 47-year-old Snoqualmie native worked as a traveling barber
— filling in for vacationing hair cutters on the Eastside — and he said
he’s easily sinking back into the Valley’s charm.
“I love the chitchat,” he said.
“I’ve sat there doing nothing and then I’d have three or four people there
chatting about hunting, fishing and the baseball series.”
“That’s good, that’s what I like.”
Though Main has had a successful first month in business, he said
that it’s still quite different being his own boss.
“Whenever you change from the big guy writing the check to being
the small guy and making a living, it’s a little scary,” he said. “But a lot
of people are enthusiastic and happy that the shop is open again, and they
want to continue with a small town barber shop.”
Lamb, who inherited the business from Gus Latberger of Gus’
Barber Shop, shut down the shop in August due to medical problems.
He, like Main, said that one of the joys of being a barber is having
people stop by the shop to just “yak.” But
he said his most memorable experiences were “the little kids, because
every little kid is so different. Some are scared, some are real bulls.” And
many of those children who got their first cut at Ed’s Barber Shop also got
their hair cut before the prom and then for their wedding and beyond.
Now that Lamb is retired, he and his wife Carol plan to spend
summers in Easton and winters in Arizona. But before they leave, there will be
a “Hello and Goodbye” celebration for Lamb and Main from 2 to 5 p.m.
on Nov. 15 at the Sno-Valley Eagle’s Hall in Snoqualmie. Everyone is invited.
The Main Barber Shop will also be holding a grand opening
celebration during the first week of November with door prizes and
refreshments, and a grand prize drawing on Saturday, Nov. 6.
Business hours (after Nov. 2) will be Tuesday through Friday 9 a.m. to
6 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Main Barber Shop can be reached
at (425) 888-2464.
