Two Rivers barber John Antonie hangs up sheers for last time after 66 years. 'I love it, and I love the people. I will miss them,' he says.

TWO RIVERS – A steady stream of customers — both old and new — came for a final trim before John Antonie turned off his clippers for the last time after cutting shaggy heads of hair for more than six decades.

Antonie retired Friday after working at Antonies’s Roffler Barber Shop, 1507 16th St., since 1957. His father, Joseph Antonie, opened the barbershop in 1944, and Antonie attended barber school and worked side-by-side with his father until 1967, when he took over the business. He franchised with Roffler of the Midwest in 1971 and sold the building a few years ago, but continued to rent space and cut hair.

At the age of 86, Antonie said he’s ready to hang up the sheers.

“I’ve been doing this a long time,” he said with a smile. “I love it, and I love the people. I will miss them. But it’s time.”

You can still see a revolving red, white and blue barber pole in the shop, where a haircut cost $12 and a full style $16. Antonie punched purchases into a century-old cash register. Customers paid in cash, usually offering a handshake and wishing him well a few days before the business closed.

Rick Blahnik, who grew up in Two Rivers and now lives in Manitowoc, came in for a final trim. Now nearly 70 years old, Blahnik has been getting haircuts from Antonie since he was a teenager.

“I came in with my older brothers and dad,” Blahnik said. “Back then, it was flattops and crew cuts. Then in the '70s, I had my hair kind of styled. It was the thing back then. These days I’m just glad to have some hair left to cut.”

He’s not sure where he’ll go for his next cut.

“I trust John to cut my hair,” Blahnik said. “There’s not many true barbers left anymore. He knows how to cut hair, and he also tells a lot of good stories. He’s also a good listener.”

Antonie said he will miss the people the most. Over the years, he’s heard many stories about relationships, jobs, hopes and fears.

“People need someone to talk to,” he said with a smile. “So, they talk to bartenders or barbers. I had a lot of priests coming in from Holy Redeemer Catholic Church. One time I told the holy bishop I should have the power of absolution. He asked why, and I said, ‘Because I hear more confessions than you do.’”

But a good barber keeps the stories to himself, Antonie quickly added.

“I remember going with my wife to the Elk’s Club for a fish fry, and seeing someone and thinking, ‘If only his wife knew what I know about him,’” he said about some long-ago customer.

Back in the day, when the Mirro plant was next door and other factories were thriving, Antonie stayed open until 8 p.m. most days and until 9 p.m. on Fridays. Workers would get paid on Friday, then stop in for a cut and shave or style before heading out for the weekend.

“There would be a line at the door,” Antonie recalled. “Now, those businesses are closed or moved away. We don’t have as many men around who need a barber.”

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It takes special skill to razor-cut a man’s hair, and Antonie studied and served as an apprentice to refine his technique. He also styled women’s hair for a time, although he mostly specialized in men’s hair.

Decades ago, there were upwards of seven barbers in Two Rivers, and Antonie even had several barbers working for him. He said they’d apprentice under him to gain experience, and then move back to wherever they came from.

None of his five sons followed in his footsteps.

“They’re all too smart to be barbers,” Antonie joked.

He’s been cutting hair long enough to see generations of men stop in.

“I had one guy who brought in his grandson to get his first haircut,” he said. “He took a picture and said he’s going to hang it next to the photo he has of himself here getting his first haircut.”

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Good customer service is important to Antonie. He’d often go to people’s homes if they were sick or unable to come in for an appointment.

“Now, I’ve had people tell me I better take all of my equipment with me because they’re going to show up at my house for a cut,” he said.

He can do about four to six cuts in an hour, or a style in half hour, but Antonie said it’d be hard to tally the number of cuts he’s given since he first picked up a razor and sheers.

“It’s a lot,” he said with a smile. And just four days before he headed into retirement, he picked up his old-fashioned attached-to-the-wall landline telephone and cut a telemarketer short.

“I can’t talk now,” the graying barber said. “I’m very, very busy.”

Got a tip, question or comment for Streetwise Manitowoc? Contact reporter Patti Zarling at pzarling@gannett.com or call 920-606-2575. Follow her on Twitter @PGPattiZarling.

This article originally appeared on Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter: Two Rivers barber John Antonie retires, closes shop on 16th Street