Eden's Carl The Barber is making the best of being back in business
Carl Ashley the barber is back in business at Carl's Place in Eden, N.Y.
And he has some stories to tell.
He said "The first week back I spent the entire week fixing haircuts that were given by wives." Twenty-five years ago Carl moved into the historic building on Church street that used to be the Post Office.
Inside there's plenty to see including a collection of police badges, photos of movie stars and his treasured pictures of his ninety-nine year old mother with Carl at the finish line.
"We just did a 5 K.
We do one every year." He's been back on the job a couple of weeks and the COVID regulations have have made his work more challenging.
Carl now has to take customers temperatures, wear a mask and limit the number of people in the shop, adding "there's constant disinfecting of the chair and door knobs".
The Pandemic also side-lined his side gig.
He's a guitar player and before everything shut down he was playing most weekends in local clubs.
He says "I miss it terribly".
Carl says he's glad to be back in business and is optimistic that things will eventually get back to normal saying "this will pass, we'll get through it." Carl's Place: 2764 W Church St., Eden, New York 14057
BACK IN ACTION.TONIGHT -- MIKERANDALL INTRODUCESUS TO AN EDEN MANWHO'S MAIN BUSINESSAND SIDE BUSINESSWERE BOTH SHUTDOWN BY THECORONAVIRUS.BUT, HE'S BACK ONTHE THE JOB MAKINGONE CUT AND ONESONG AT A TIME.CARL THE BARBER ISBACK IN BUSINESSWITH STORIES TOTELL...THE FIRST WEEK BACKI SPENT THE ENTIREWEEK FIXING HAIRCUTSTHAT WERE GIVEN BYWIVESCARL'S PLACE IN EDENIS PRETTY COOL-THIS WAS THEORIGINAL POST OFFICEIN TOWNCARL ASHLEY MOVEDINTO THE HISTORICBUILDING 25 YEARSAGO....I'VE HAD TWOGENERATIONS OF KIDSWHO HAVE GOTTENTHEIR HAIR CUT IN THISHORSE CHAIRTHERE'S PLENTY TOLOOK AT INSIDE....HISCOLLECTION OFPOLICE BADGES-PICTURES OF JOHNWAYNE-YEA-I LIKE JOHN WAYNETHERE ARE A FEWANTIQUES...THIS CASH REGISTERFROM 1916-IT MUSTWEIGH FIVE-HUNDREDPOUNDSHOW ABOUT HISTREASURED PHOTOSOF CARL & HIS NINTY-NINE YEAR-OLDMOTHER-AT THEFINISH LINEWE JUST DID A FIVE KEVERY YEAR WE DOONECUTTING HAIR HAS IT'SCHALLENGES-BEINGON YOUR FEET ALLDAY AND TALKING...YOU GOTTA HAVE A LOTOF15 MINUTECONVERSATIONSWITH THE COVIDREGULATIONS...CARL'SNOW TAKINGTEMPS...WEARING AMASK-AND LIMITINGCUSTOMERS....CONSTANTDISENFECTING OF THECHAIR AND THE DOORKNOBAND HE STILL ENJOYSTHE WORK...IT'S PRETTYENTERTAINING -I HADONE GUY CAME IN THATHAD HALF AHAIRCUT...FROM HOMEBECAUSE HE GOTSCARED AND TOLD HISWIFE TO STOPTHE PANDEMIC ALSOSIDE-LINED HIS SIDEGIG...YOU SEE CARL ISN'TJUST A BARBER-HE'SALSO A MUSICIAN-APRETTY DARN GOODONEHE WAS PLAYINGWEEKENDS IN ACOUPLE OF BANDSMOSTWEEKENDS...FORMORE THAN ADECADE...I MISS IT TERRIBLYCARL THE BARBER ISBACK INBUSINESS...BUT WHENIT COMES TOEVERYTHING ELSEHE'S-DOING WHAT WEARE ALLDOING...STAYING SAFE& HOPING FOR THEBEST....AS LONG AS WE'RE ALLRESPONSIBLE ABOUTHOW WE HANDLEOURSELVES-THIS WILLPASS.WE'LL GETTHROUGH IT.IN THE TOWN
