Arizona Republic from Phoenix, Arizona • Page 146

ffe Story and photo LY JANE ALEXANDER ten Earl tyidmer got his start a barber in 1923, a haircut illy cost tfoo the shdve a 15 cents extra. Now the corned price is $7, and Widmer his technique is better than sr. can only work time because he must limit earnings to get full Social Se- benefits, when he's 72 he offering regular haircuts, flattops, and hair styling for men, women, and Children; eveii shaving and cial work. Most of his patrons are regular customers, Widmer says he was able to adapt to the styling trend that started for men about 15 years ago because of his work on ladies hair in the 1930s. "Ladies haircut- ting in the 30s was shorter than men's haircutting is today, but the technique Was about the same," he says.

a beauty shop for almost eight years," he remarks. NttW eneraiton be able to much as he wants, he plans to keep work- 1 as he can do a good jomffi find I feel better I'm. working rather than doing rioth- he says. now leases Earl's Barber 3016 N. 16th to his son, and he is actually Ron's em- ye.

He works only by appoint- and tries to be in the shop three days of the week, When the demand is greatest. iBJoth hairstyles and the equipment barbers use have changed radically since Widmer started coding hair 52 years ago. The gfjefctest changes have come within the last 26 years, since he his two-chair shop in Phoe- Widmer says his secret to staging in business so long was to' lelirn modern hairstyling tech- ntpes using power equipment and toarffer a wide-variety of services customer. describes his shop as possi- he most versatile in town- Widmer got his start in haircutting in Ohio. He first-helped his older brother on Saturdays in his shop in Powhatan, wheh hei was only 15.

"It was a coal mining we often worked until 2-3 a.m. Sundays because the miners got drunk after work and stayed up all night," he recalls. In 1925 he decided to find steady work as a barber. He attended barber college because, although licenses were not required at that time, state government officials were planning to initiate them. His first Job after graduating was Wheeling, W.Va.

where he had studied haircutting. In 1926 he left Wheeling for shops in Akron and Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. "Barber shops got ladies' business until about 1927. In 1928 when we began losing our ladies' business, I quit and go into a beauty shop to learn to cut ladies' and shaping for different lengths. I worked in the license becanje effective in Ohio.

The company Wjdmel worked for got him the lieense, and at that time he was also required to have a barber's for cutting women's "I wanted to gd back into the barber business because when you worked for a chain beauty shop like I did, they only paid you 55 per cent of what you took in. A union barber shop hdd to pay! a master barber 70 per so I figured I'd make more money in a barber and I did," he He left Akron to set up a barber shop in Loudonville, Ohio. "I had my OWi! equipment I just -had to move it down and for $50 I was back in he contin- 'V. rt weather" and scenery, so he Moved here with family in 1950. Wldmer's son Rofl was discharged from the U.S.

Marine Corps in 1953 in Philadelphia and drove immediately to years later his father talked him into attending barber college, although he had never thought he to be a barber. After six of school and two years as an apprentice in his father's shop, he too became a master barber. Ron and his father both feel the new longer styles for men here to stay as long as women like them, "The biggest reason for trends in men's hair styles is women want them to look," Wid-f mersays. no secret that women like men to keep a full head of hair, Widmer says he has no secret except heredity for keeping his at 70iV "My grandfather was 80 When he died, and he had a lot of half. My father had a lot when he was 78, when he passed away.

I just fceep tt Is the best secret for everything," he says. boils down to one condition of your blood supplying the hair follicles. atTfhe roots. If your bloddstreani is good, yoii're to have good hair prdviding you've got good circulation. I thitik a toald because the riot on the top of their heads.

Massage will help while they still have hair, not after they lose it." Then World War began for the United and to go to worK in 5 a' defense or he would have been drafted. He and his wife now married 48 years, had three young daughters and a son, so he chose to return to Akron arid look for a job in a defense plant. "I was lucky because I used to cut hair for one of the top men in B. F. Goodrich Co.

there. He saw me walk into the Goodrich employment office and said 'If you're looking for a job come with I got a foreman's job. I stayed with Goodrich for eight years as a supervisor, and I would have went to the top with them if I had a college degree, but I only had my high school diploma," he says. He left Akron and started, another barber shop hvRittman, Ohio, a small town 14 miles west of Akron. On a vacation to' 1 Phoenix, where his mother and: father he was tHe Earl Widmer trims and styles hair for customer Jim Collins of Phoenix the ocks Retiree takes to outdoors By RUTH BARTLETT A VVOAilf spend all of my time keeping warm and welL Here the weather is with me.

1 T. ce in Ariz went looking for a hobby. He attended rock shows and was im- with gem stone inlay and channel work. He joined 1 in activities of the a club coveting trip that ie met a local lapidary. tcpeach Flick methods of jewelry making.

a repair business; in 10," states Flick. "I can use almost any tool or machine; Cutting and polishing stones came easy. Silver work was new not hard, but tedious to learn." J- Mrs. Flick, the family artist, does the preliminary sketching and design work and makes all of his patterns to scale. "I draw things from photographs," she says.

"I try to draw them as they really are." His first inlay piece was a wolf, done 1 in many shades and made from abalone shell. He plans to keep it. The second one wai-ia belt buckle made of two pieces of silver. learned to solder on that one," he explains: "I patching, but I still have to learn jwnai not to do. 'Flick makes many of his tools and pair and reassemble his machines.

In his spare time he has terraced the hillside lot near their using rocks found in the hills and logs from the AguaFria River bottom. Many interesting things come down the river when at is flood stage, he says. Shop tips from Flick follow: An upright sycamore log section makes a good pounding 1 table. Grooves can be cut in the wood to facilitate iiammered designs. When the surface of a fire brick gets so burned it is unusable; slab it and you will have two more fresh surfaces to use.

When grinding dry stones, it is prudent to wear a mask there is no need to ruin your lungs. Although the Flicks collect material on field trips, they also attend shows.to "be sure not to miss exceptional material. According to Flick, tailgate shows, afford the best opportunities to obtain good material. This -summer," plans Mrs. Flick, "we will Check-out shows and shops from here to Canada, -especially in New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Washington and Oregon.

in a few weeks we will move into our motor home for, summer travels." QivSaturday, Black Canyon. City hold its fourth-annual Fiesta at Black Canyon Grey hound; Mrs. Flick is chairman of the Braggm' Rock Club's exhibit at the event. ready to set at 6 alm-and will be open all day. My Don, of the.

demonstrators and will be wearing hlsJF1 1 A tsto a daughter-in-law made it for him when he started to use as his CB A pancake breakfast -will -be -served- 7 a.m., a parade will follow at 10:30. The, Flick makes jewelry from wife's sketch By ASHTON HOMES, Inc. GRAND NEW HOMES GRAND LOCATION 47th of Bethany Home Ashton Homes, Builder? of EAOLES EYRE Paradise Vslley, offer a very limited edition of sparkling new and dramatic family homes featuring elegant slump i and stucco exteriors, masonry construction, double garages, block-waljed lots all etandard. 5 spacious plans to choose from. But 12-Dark Daily 10-Dark Sunday ASHTON HOMES from Mid 30's FHft VA Avtilablt BOUAL HOUSING Recorded Bethany HeighU OTPOBTUNITY Many of these homes are nowfor sale, with all that great larjdscapjng-and all those little extras.

rr OPENING Here at Top-of-the-yalley, you won't find a few lushly.landscaped, lavishly decorated model homessurrounded by acres of dusty open fields. Our neighborhood, nestled between the North Mountains and Moon Mountain, is already established. And the homes you see here are the ones for sale, not just for show You see, opening features homes that were originally built 2 or 3 years ago. Some families moved in; planted lawns and trees; built patios; carpeted family rooms; put in extra storage; in short, added all those little things that turn a new house into a real home. And we have a big selection of them, right here in Moon probably the most delightfully untypical area in all of Phoenix.

In fact, one of the things that makes the area untypical is that few people know much about it. For instance, did you know that the Valley's only thoroughbred race track is here? Or, that you can go for a glided ride from an airstrip in the area? Or, that you can, flop ph the freeway from here and be shopping at Metro- Center in 8 minutes or sailing on Pleasant in 20? Or, that you can play horse, or have a desert picnic, without ever leaving the neighborhood? Or, that somV of the prestigious homes make their home here? Well, if you didnl know all thisy like the idea of pwnmg'-ari uhjypjcalf' home Iri ah untypical come and get Come up to Top of the.Valley for our untypical Grand Opening, North i COUNTRY GABLES i THUNDERBIRI) On 7th Street, mile, north'bf Thunderbird Residential Models Open Daily 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sales Office 942-6570 ISf FROM $53,500 PQFTHE.