A new barbershop recently opened on De Soto’s Main Street.
Jacob Pashia, 33, of De Soto opened Jake’s Barbershop at 124 N. Main Street in a space that housed a barbershop in the 1950s.
The shop opened in July, after about seven months of remodeling work, Pashia said.
“It was the old electrical system, like in Frankenstein with the lever for electricity,” he said. “We took everything out, put down flooring, had brand new custom cabinets built, painted. I got a ceiling in it with LED lights. It’s completely redone from the ground up, like a brand-new building.”
Pashia said his barbershop has two chairs, and his wife may eventually join him and cut hair, too. For now, though, he’s the only barber.
Pashia said he has been cutting hair since 2008 and has worked at Great Clips, Donnelly’s Roffler Hairstyling in Herculaneum and at his grandfather’s barbershop, EJ’s Family Hair Center in De Soto.
He said he is a Roffler-certified stylist, explaining that the Roffler method is an old-style hair cutting technique that uses a straight razor rather than scissors or clippers.
Pashia said he also does beard trims and head shaves with a straight razor.
He also said he can do flat-top cuts, a hairstyle not many barbers know how to cut anymore.
Pashia is a third-generation barber, following in the footsteps of his late father, Mitch, and his grandfather, E.J. Pashia.
Earlier this year, his grandfather’s barbershop celebrated 60 years in business at 502 N. Main St. in De Soto.
Although the two barbershops are only about a five-minute walk from each other, Jacob Pashia said he does not believe the two barbers will be competing for clients.
“There’s more than enough business for the both of us in town,” Pashia said. “He’s booked up for six weeks sometimes, so he can’t take walk-ins because he’s always busy. So he sends them down to me.”
Pashia said his grandfather has been an inspiration to him.
“He was my mentor. He trained me in barbering stuff before I went to beauty school.”
Pashia said what sets his barbershop apart from others is his communication and customer service.
“A lot of people go to Great Clips and they get rushed in and rushed out, but here I keep client cards and write down notes and try to memorize what we talked about. I get to know my clients as more than just a customer and put more time into it,” Pashia said. “ It’s not just about money. I try to have a good conversation. I do think I do better work than a lot of places out there.”
“I pray every morning that I can be more than just a haircut, but a good experience. An experience you can’t get everywhere else.”
Jake’s Barbershop is open from 3-7 p.m. on Mondays and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday. Pashia said walk-ins are welcome, and appointments may be scheduled as well. The shop may be reached by calling 636-337-5288.
