m-sat 9AM - 5PM
Kerk's
Barbershop
The interior of this room was pulled straight out of a barbershop in Chappell, Nebraska.
The countertop, mirror, tools, and chairs (which are from the '30s) are from Kerk's Barbershop after it closed down in 2016. He went to barber school in 1950 and joined the navy. He cut hair during his entire time in the navy and came home and continued cutting hair. He was cutting hair until he retired in 2016 at the age of 90.
Notice the prices on the board. Kerk set the price at $7 so when people paid with a $10 bill he would give them back a $2 bill and a silver dollar. People loved collecting the currency and would travel far just for a haircut at Kerk's.
His son, Carter, is a recruiter for the School of Mines in Rapid City, SD. He recently met with the family of a prospective student from Colorado. While talking to the family he discovered that they used to drive up to Chappell every month as children to get their hair cut at Kerk's and they remembered collecting the change. Small world!
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Still in use...
During our annual events like our Car Show and Vintage Camper Show, the barbershop still gets used by local businesses such as Rapscallions and Gypsy Soul Salon. Providing hair cuts and Up Do's
Helene Curtis
Tru Art
Permanent Wave Machine
Sold for $149.50 in 1938
These Chandelier-style electric perm machines were popular from 1920-1950s. Especially during the "Flapper" era. It took half a day to complete the procedure, which consisted of the hair being sectioned and tightly wound onto rollers. The hair was then coated with an alkaline chemical solution, then metal cylinders were clipped over the hair. Asbestos pads were used to protect the patron's scalp from heat.
Power switched on, an electric current delivered heat to each tube for 4-10 minutes. Unfortunately, this was a risky procedure and many customers were left with burnt scalps, broken or charred hair, or very dry unhealthy hair. The cost of beauty was danger in those days.
Hair Dryer Chair
Early 60s
Hood dryers were huge in salons during the 50s and 60s.
Notice the green handheld hair dryer on the shelf. In 1991 the government required hair dryers to have a ground fault circuit interrupter. This reduced accidental deaths from the hairdryer getting wet from a few hundred a year to about 4 a year.
Travel Shaving Kits
40s-50s
Women's shaving kits.
Like many items of the past, these were very ornate.
Hairnets
1950s
