After 60 years, Ligonier barbers hang up their clippers
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When cousins Ken Knupp and Walt Boyd closed the doors of their Ligonier Borough barbershop Wednesday, one thing was clear — they will miss their customers the most.
After working as barbers for more than 60 years, the two decided to retire together from their longtime practice at Knupp’s Barbershop.
Knupp, 80, purchased the location on West Main Street in 1984, and Boyd, 85, came on board about 14 years later. For the past 10 years, the two Ligonier residents have managed the barbershop on their own, opening the shop’s doors Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
When Knupp started his first job as a barber, it was not uncommon to give 25 haircuts in a day. In recent years, he has stuck to about 15.
“I don’t like to overdo it too much, because at the end of the day, I get tired,” he said with a laugh.
Former Pennsylvania Gov. and U.S. Attorney General Richard Thornburgh and former University of Michigan head football coach Bo Schembechler are among Knupp and Boyd’s previous clientele. But their favorite part of each shift was between 2 and 4 p.m. when three of their longtime friends would stop by — sometimes for a haircut, sometimes just to chat.
“We probably would have closed long ago if it wasn’t for them,” Boyd joked.
Customers occasionally came to their appointments with a cup of coffee or a doughnut to share, Knupp said.
“We’ll really miss all of our customers,” he said. “All good people.”
The Ligonier building has served as a barbershop under different ownership for about 100 years, Knupp said, but he has not had any luck finding another barber to move in.
“It’s hard to find new barbers coming around,” he said.
“There’s no barber schools around here,” Boyd added. “There’s no young barbers coming to the trade.”
Knupp plans to sell the property, even if the buyer steers from the building’s roots as a barbershop.
Knupp may have given his last professional haircut Wednesday, but he expects to continue picking up the scissors from time to time for his family. Knupp’s grandson, MJ, 19, of Ligonier, said he has been getting his hair cut by his grandfather since he was 6 months old.
And Knupp and Boyd, who share fond memories of playing baseball together in their youth, plan to create many more by golfing and fly fishing in retirement.
“We’ve been friends for life,” Boyd said. “Ever since day one.”