Garrettsville – One recent morning, Jim Dennis walked into the Barber of G’Ville for a haircut, something he’s been doing every six weeks (or whenever his wife, Darlene, tells him he’s looking shaggy) for the past 50 years.
He came in for his visit, new to the area, at 19 years old, when the original owner, George Joseph, was at the helm. That first visit, he entered the shop around 4:30, noting a closing time of 5 pm on the sign on the door. He remembered the owner, George Joseph, closed the blinds, flipped the door’s sign to ‘closed’, and offering him a drink to enjoy while he cut his hair. “It was the first barber shop I ever got a beer in,” Jim chuckled. He remembers Joseph as quite a character, noting a sign that read, “It’s been a pleasure abusing you today.”
Joseph opened the original shop on Main Street in 1959. Jim Reppy and Dennis became fast friends when Reppy took over the shop from his father-in-law, Joseph in 1988. An established business as well as a piece of small-town history, the Barber of G’Ville was lost in the fire on Main Street in 2014. The shop was closed only three months; quickly re-opening in their new location at 10663 Highland Avenue, where it remains today.
As a long-time customer and friend of the establishment, it’s no surprise that Dennis began his 69th birthday by heading in to the Barber of G’Ville for his regular haircut. Dennis and Reppy, who is also retired, recalled Joseph’s affable charm as the two friends waited for their haircuts that day, where Brian Morgan and Chris McCarty are the latest generation at the Barber of G’Ville.
In retirement, Jim Dennis spends time with his family, noting with pride that he’s got 13 grandkids. He’s especially proud to mention his hard-working grandson who plays on the Green High School varsity football team. At 6 feet tall and 210 pounds, he takes after his father and grandfather. Dennis also enjoys working around the house: organizing his workbench, working in his yard and garden, where he cultivates potatoes, peppers, tomatoes and green onions. He also enjoys hunting, something he’s done since the early 60s. In fact, he’s got a scrapbook of hunting licenses from each year since he began.
As a 50-year patron of this local institution, Dennis gives the Barber of G’Ville his seal of approval. Give Brian and Chris a call at (330) 527-4286 for your haircut or beard trim — they’ll help you look your best this holiday season and for years to come.
