From time to time a man has to see his barber. Detective Hank Willie Hall needed a trim so he went to see his barber. Of course his barber was not any ordinary barber. No, Hank’s barber was actually THE Barber. Hank never knew his actual name; folks always called him The Barber. The story had the Barber getting his name from a career in pro wresting back in the day. Other tales had him getting the name as a hit man for the mob. Hank always figured he was called the barber because he owned the barber shop over on Tireman Avenue. Barbers are like bartenders in that people tended to share their secrets with them. And the Barber always seemed to know a thing or two about what was happening on the streets. Hank slid into the third chair, the one near the window and said, “Take a little off the top and leave it just above the collar.” The Barber turned toward the big mirror, scissors in his hand and said, “Man, you ain’t got nothin’ on the top anymore, Pops.” “OK. Make it high and tight. What’s the news these days?” “Not much. A lot of money has been flyin’ around. Someone is in a hurry to buy up every damn house in the neighborhood. They are chasing away all of my locals. Hurtin’ my bank account. Know what I mean?” “Any idea as to who it is?” “Not sure. Whoever it is, they are laying down a lot of cash. Lookin’ at what they are paying, I’d say you should be looking for some goofy looking dude.” “Some guy with more dollars than sense, huh?” “You got that right.”

A series of photographs of Barbers and Barber Shops from around Minnesota and the Twin cities Metro area for my Photo EssayA series of photographs of Barbers and Barber Shops from around Minnesota and the Twin cities Metro area for my Photo Essay Assignment/Book. These photos were taken at 7th Street Barbers at 925 7th Street West St. Paul, MN 55102 Courtesy of Peter Klein and Tom. Assignment/Book.