Back-and-forth banter free with any haircut at Peninsula Barbershop

Paul Dunlap, owner of Peninsula Barbershop in Purdy, gets a real kick out of his customers.

“They are hardworking men of the community and we talk about fishing, hunting, motorcycles and working on cars,” he said. “They love it and I love it, too.”

Dunlap, who has been a barber for 18 years — 12 of them in Gig Harbor — took over the former Gentleman Jim’s barbershop in October 2015 and completely transformed the layout, making it his own. He said his business has increased by 50 percent since that time, mostly due to word of mouth.

Customers seem to like the new look of the barbershop.

“We gave it a good ’ole western cabin vibe,” Dunlap said, describing the remodel of the interior of the shop as rustic — complete with deer and fish mounts on the wall and a wood grain laminated floor.

Dunlap says he could never work in a cubicle and thrives on the back-and-forth banter with customers as he cuts their hair.

“I like the customer service and dealing with the general public,” he said.

Gentleman Jim’s operated in the same location for 30 years and now it is not only men who wander in for a haircut. Women and children get their hair cut there as well.

Carrie Brown has cut hair for the last 20 years and signed on to cut women, children and men’s hair at Peninsula Barbershop in March. When men come in for a trim, she reminds them, “You know, I can cut your wife’s hair, too.”

The shop is getting busier every day, according to Brown, who was browsing CraigsList.org one day looking for a job and saw Dunlap’s ad.

“The ad was simple and to the point — no nonsense. I thought, ‘I like this ad, and it is right here at the bottom of the hill from my house,’” she said. “I called and came in to chat with Paul. We had a lot in common and it was a quick friendship. It’s a good fit.”

Waiting time for a “do” is short at Peninsula Barbershop, and Brown said the conversation with customers helps the time pass quickly.

“Everyone is having a great time,” she said.

The shop currently has two chairs, but Dunlap said he plans on putting a third one in within the month.

Brown and Dunlap offer all the latest haircuts.

“We can do anything that you want, and are trying to broaden our customer base to include the younger generation,” she said. “Bring a photo (of a haircut) in with you — we can do it.”

Dunlap said many customers come in monthly for their haircuts, and he and Brown really get to know them.

“We are like family,” he said.

Peninsula Barbershop is located at 6703 Tyee Drive NW in Gig Harbor. It is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. The phone number is 253-857-5064.

No appointments are needed; walk-ins are welcome.

This story was originally published August 24, 2016 at 2:22 PM with the headline "Back-and-forth banter free with any haircut at Peninsula Barbershop."