Wiens is Hillsboro's lone male barber
Staff writer
Randy Wiens is the only male barber in Hillsboro — the last of a dying breed.
The second oldest of four children born to Walt and the late Katherine Wiens of Inman, he grew up on a farm in rural Inman. In 1971, he graduated from Inman High School.
"After high school I was going to go to Hutch JuCo because I didn't know what I wanted to do," Wiens said. "My father said that he took care of me for the first 12 years of school, and now it was up to me to take care of myself."
Wiens said a friend suggested going to barber school since it only takes nine months.
"So I went to school for nine months to learn to cut hair just for a couple of years, and I'm still doing it," he said.
His first job was working for Harvey Hockersmith in Oakley.
"Back then you had to work as an apprentice for 18 months before you could become a master barber," Wiens said.
Wiens said on his first day on the job, he was late. He thought Oakley, which is in northwestern Kansas, was on mountain time. So he set his clock accordingly. But he later found out that Oakley was on Central Standard time.
"When I arrived an hour late on that first day, I explained what I had done," Wiens said. "Harvey said he was beginning to wonder what he had gotten himself into."
Wiens worked for Hockersmith for five years from 1972 to 1977.
In 1977, Wiens and his roommate in barber school, Murray Bean, bought Hockersmith's shop in Oakley, and renamed it Golden Shears.
The two owned the shop from 1977 to 1982, until Wiens sold his portion of the business to his partner and moved to Hillsboro.
Wiens bought the shop in Hillsboro from Wayne Schroeder in 1982 and remodeled it.
"I just have one chair," he said. "This is a one-man operation — I'm the president to the janitor and everybody in-between."
As a licensed barber, Wiens is required to acquire a barber license and a shop license yearly.
"Classes are not required," he said, "but I attend conferences once or twice a year to get updated on the latest products and hairstyles."
After 30 years in the barber business, Wiens has seen some significant changes. He used to do perms but not so much anymore. He cuts 15 to 20 percent of women's hair.
He said during the late 1970s to the early 80s, there was a significant drop in male barbers in Kansas because of the long hairstyles men were wearing.
According to Wiens, the numbers went from 4,000 to 2,000 barbers who continued to cut hair in Kansas.
"Because of the long hair a lot of the older male barbers quit and the customers began going the beauty shops," he said. "I guess they (the barbers) didn't want to learn how to cut and work with long hair."
Wiens said he remembers that when he first started out as a barber a basic haircut cost $1.75; now the price is $9.
Wiens' clientele ranges from the ages of two to 90. Most of his business comes from word-of-mouth.
"I think I do this because I like being with and talking to people," he said. "My slogan is — If you look good, you feel good."
Wiens manages to have a few hobbies when he's not busy cutting hair. He has competed in five marathons and just competed in one in Oklahoma on April 28. He has competed in marathons in Dallas, Texas, Los Angeles, Calif., Chicago, Ill., and two in Oklahoma City, Okla.
He also rides a touring motorcycle bike and did motor-cross
racing in 1972-76. In 1975, he was second in the state of Kansas in motor-cross racing.
He has ridden on his motorcycle to several places including Yellow Stone National Park, the Grand Canyon, Washington D.C., to the motorcycle rally in Sturgis, S.D.
Other hobbies Wiens enjoys are boating and fishing.
Wiens has been a member of Trinity Mennonite Church for nearly 20 years and has served as a trustee.
He has been a member of the Hillsboro Kiwanis Club for 20 years and has served as president twice throughout those years.
He has also served on the Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce Board.
His family includes his wife Lin, a registered nurse at the Marion Family Practice Clinic; his daughter Lindee, a junior at Hillsboro High School; and his son Grant, a sophomore at Kansas State University.
