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THE SHEBOYGAN (WIS.) PRESS, THURSDAY OCTOBER 9 I1Brother Barbers At West Bend Total 107 Years That They Have Served PublicBrothers Shown In Their ShopPlanWEST BEND. — “Well, if youthere wasn’t much money'in thewon’t sell us the shop, Bill and X will just have to open our own shop down the street/'The time was slightly over 48 years ago and the speaker was young Joe Knippel. Joe and his brother, Bill, had decided to open a barbershop in West Bend and had just offered to buy out the owner of one of the community'' two shops. ,The owner thought the matter over briefly, apparently didn’t relish the competition the bro thers forecast, and sold out to the Knippel brothers. In the years the brother-partnership has continued in the same building And though, officially, it is called the O’Meara Block, to young and old alike m West Bend it is Knippel’s Corner.With the passing years, almost half a century, the Knippel brothers, Joe and Bill, have seen many changes, both in barbenng and in West Bend. But the only personal changes wrought by the years have been the distinguish ed silvering of the hair of the brothers and a few innovations, such as electricity, running water, and the other conveniences that came about since the be ginning of the century.107 Yearn SendeeToday the Knippel brothers, Joe, 72, and Bill, 69, have a combined total of 107 years of stropping, shaving and clipping. Joe is both .older in years and experience, having begun his trade 56 years ago. Bill has been a barber for the past 51 years.Joe Knippel became an appren tice barber when he was only 16 years of age, and he started in the same shop he and his brother now operate. One of his first duties was to keep an edge on the barber’s razors and wasn’t long before he was handling his share of the business. Back before the turn of the century a man needed no barber college education or training to learn his way around a man's head. Six months later he entered the shop as an apprentice, Joe was in complete charge dur ing the week. The owner, who was working in Milwaukee, came back on the week ends to assist during the rush periods.One of the first men he ever shaved still lives in West Bend: Joe proudly points out, so he concludes that Ije must have wielded a pretty clever razor. Of course, he admits there were few more knicks than happen today, but with the assistance of the patron, who told Joe in what direction to move the straightedge over his face, it worked out fine.The hours were long, but barber, though he didn’t get rich, still made enough to live comfortably, Joe says. This fact may have had something to do with brother William deciding, five years later, that what was good enough for Joe was good enough for Bill, so he also became member of the barbering fraternity.Joe left West Bend shortly after becoming proficient with the brush and lather, and after some time in Shawano, opened shop in Minnesota. Bill, at this time, was working for another barber in West Bend.till but the ticket punch really had a work-out.He further recalls one early-day regular at the Knippel shop who ran up the amazing total of shave rickets, all “on the cuff. The customer was a dentist so to square the account Joe paid a visit to the patron's office fpr some dental repairs.Beards and chin whiskers of some form or another were the mark of a man in the beginning of this century, and rare was the completely clean-shaven man in any American community, West Bend included. Today Joe says only two of their regular patrons retain beards, and adds _ that, though the Knippel shop still fias several regular shave customers, it is a rarity in barbering today.Children were practically a novelty in the early barbershops and most juvenile haircutting was “home-made/’ Joe states. Girls never entered a barbershop and a boy seldom ^ made an appearance until he* got his first barbershop haircut for his confirmation. That was the signal had begun to arrive at a somewhat “grownup stage in life. Times Have Changed Things have certainly changed, Joe admits, and many days the shop is filled with dotmg mothers who are waiting to have the barber go to work on Junior's top knot.Though the Police Gazette has, down through the years, become famed as the man’s paper and a barbershop necessity of the early years, Joe can't recall if the Krappel brothers were ever subscribers. He added that the Gazette was outstanding, not for its naughty covers as is common-believed today, but because it was the leading paper covering s and sporting events. As .s the famous Police Gazette cuties, Joe feels they were nowhere near as daring as the models who are featured in today’s picture magazines.During the first World War the bobbed hair craze that swept America also swept the women ofOpen Own ShopWhen their father passedaway, the boys decided it \was their duty to take care of their mother, Mrs. Knippel wanted Joe to remain m West Bend so he agreed, if he and Bill could own their own shop, he would stay home. That decision led the aforementioned ultimatum to one of the community’s barbers and the founding of the partnership that has existed for the past 48 years.One of the remarkable things that Joe comments about is that after almost five decades, he and Bill are not only in the same shop, they still have their same spots in the shop. Joe has ihe first chair as one enters the front door and Bill is in charge chair number two. Back in 1916 they installed a third chair and this is used by hired help or apprentices The Knippel brothers have turned out six apprentice barbers from their shop.The early barbershop was man’s dominion and it served the clearing house for political and sports information, in addition to being the ideal place A-disseminate all other news particular interest to male audiences. Women and children just didn’t belong in the early barber shop, Joe says Haircuts cost the barbershop patron 20 cents and shaves were 12 for a dollar. Of course, the bargain price in shaves was fored on the “meal-ticket” principle, with the barber punching the ticket every time the customer had his chin denuded.The unidentified youngster sitting in the barbershop chair above is getting more than just a haircut. He is having his hair clipped by half of the oldest brother-team in the barber* mg business in West Bend, probably in the state. To the left above is Bill Knippel, and working on the youngster is Joe Knippel, the other half of this unique jtertnership. The brothers have operated their shop, known in West Bend as Knippel’s Comer, for the past 48 years. Each of them have -over a half century at the barbering trade and neither one is ready to retire. — (Photo by Jerry Marsden.)__the couutry into the barbershops. This just about drove the men out, Joe states. All the women, even those in West Bend, wanted to be in style and the barbershop lost much of its masculinity. Then, too, it was about this same time that the safety razor appeared on the scene.The shaving business never did return to the barbershop, Joe says, but with the changing of women’s styles and the rapid growth of beauty parlors, Milady abandoned the barbershop once again to the lord of the house.Today’s prices have changed,Joe says, but an even greater change has been in the barber’s hours. The early barber worked daily from 7 *. m. to 9 p. m., and most Saturdays would find himself still busy at midnight and after. His only day off was Sunday, and though business was “pretty- thin” during the week, the shears and razors were sorely taxed on the week-ends.Sole PioneersWhen the Knippel brothers opened their shop there were only two shops in West Bend. Today there are six, but not a I, single early barber, who was inbusiness when the Knippels began, still remains.During their lifetime in West Bend the brothers have also been active foj civic improvements and local government. Here, too, Joe has an edge and his political career in the community dates back to 1917.In 1917 Joe was appoinied to the Common Council as Second Ward alderman. He served as alderman from 1917 to 1930 and was president of the West Bond council from 1920 to 1930. He then ran for mayor and was elected. Joe was le-elected mayor for four more terms but was defeated in 1940 in his bid for * sixth consecutive term.Following his defeat in the ayoralty campaign, Joe was ap-inted to the West Bend County oard of Supervisors, the same year. He has served as a supei-visor for the 12 years since and is still a member of the board.Bill’s only venture into politics was a term as city treasurer prior to 1920. This was not the limit of his active participation m civic affairs, however, for with the inception of the West Bend Fire and Police Commission m 1936 he was named to the commission and still is a member.Both men aife members of the Knights of Columbus, Catholic Foresters, 3 Holy Name Society, and West Bend Chamber of Com merce. They have been active in any move to make West Bend a better community in which to live and have always boomed home-town business and industry, Joe Knippel is proud of the fact that in all the years he and his brother have been partners, they have never had a serious quarrel or argument They have agreed on all policies affecting their business and both have refused to allow themselves to become involved in any situation that would disrupt the pleasant partnership they have enjoyed. Missed Little Work Though there has never been a serious argument in the shop by any of the patrons, despite the many political campaigns that have been welcomed, waxed upon, and washed away since the opening of the shop, Joe states he would sure like to have a recording of the discussions, expressions of opinion, and minor squabbles that have taken place in the past 48 years.Recently Bill slipped on his way to church and struck his hipROCKY zation of t children p during th was the held at tl-day morni ed the m Richter ol of Vocatic tation; Jii of the Vclosed no painfully work. Th! casions, lt;cations, iJoe est he has m at work adds that little mo This is a the long ers.“And 1 used to this bust old they they did; then I've of retinr Just al Bill who yet to make an the razor and a pa!And w West Be brothers waiting nearest know w this plac a Jot of And as began ti of the s reporter the num said goo one of most po; city of away l\on the curbing. Examination dis-821 N. 8th St.Dial 55468.-30 A. M. to 8:30 P. M.; Friday TUI 9 P. M.t T/3in|ttTrT/5un' httaat ttoowwith tjvtxr cttb
Newspaper Details
Sheboygan Press
Sheboygan, Wisconsin, US
Thu, Oct 09, 1952
Page 3
Full Page
Clipped by
Milwaukee P.
WI, USA 22 Nov 2023
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