From crosshairs to barber chairs: Woody’s barber perfects craft through military career

The sound of scissors clipping, a trimmer buzzing or the hum of friendly conversation between barber and patron is not uncommon at Woody's Barbershop.

Located at 616 N. Mission St., two blocks south of Mission and Pickard Streets, the old-fashion barbershop was built in 1950.

"When I was in the military, after I was on the ship, some of the guys were on the ship cutting hair and I kind of got interested a little bit in it," said Owner Brian Wood, who has worked at Woody's for nine years and has been its owner for the past seven and a half years. "I took some other jobs, and eventually I decided to go ahead and pursue barbering and so I went to barber school."

A position opened up at Woody's and Wood began working with the previous owner, who worked there for 42 years.

"He was nearing the end of his career in here and was looking for somebody to come work with him," Wood said.

The previous owner worked alongside his brother for nearly four decades, and, as Wood explains, after the previous owner's brother passed away due to a heart attack, he worked with the owner for almost two years before he eventually acquired the business.

Woody's is open 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday. No appointment is needed and only walk-ins are accepted.

Specializing in boy's and men's haircuts, the standard haircut costs $12, which is topped off with a hot lather, straight-razor neck shave.

"We cut (hair for) all ethnicities in here," Wood said. "There's nothing that we really don't do."

Woody's specializes in flat tops, fades and military cuts.

Fixing up a man named Bub, who has been a regular at Woody's since it opened, Jeff Havens, the other barber at Woody's for four and a half years, said he loves the variety of people who come in, and the laid-back atmosphere.

"It's the best cut in town," said Bryant English from Wisconsin, a former CMU student who has been going to Woody's for almost two years.