Lopez Island -- The Barber in the Ville

Located in the Lopez Village Plaza, The Barber in the Ville is a full service barbershop serving men, women, and children.

Rates: Women $20, Men $15, Seniors $10

Hours: 9 AM to 6 PM, Monday thru Saturday

Phone us: (360) 468-2661

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May 02 2006
Local Barber to Offer Limo Service

Colleen Smith photo

(l-r) Robert Herrmann (Caffe La Boheme), Holly Bower (Holly B's Bakery), Ron Multanen, and Barbara and Dick Pickering with the new stretch limo.

By Colleen Smith
When Ron Multanen moved here last year, he did not expect to be so embraced by the Lopez community.

Multanen, who owns and operates The Barber in the Ville, is now hoping to give a little of that love back, and to some of our most deserving island residents.

The barber recently purchased a 1987 stretch limousine to bring senior citizens to the shop. He had the idea after watching some of his older customers wait for spouses to pick them up. For seniors who can't drive, he thought it would be "cool to have a limo pick people up to come get a haircut."

The limo has only 47,000 miles on it, and has been well maintained. "I found it on the internet--just like I found the barbershop! It's 20 years old, but it is in very good shape," he said.

Dick and Barbara Pickering co-signed on the loan; without their help, Multanen said he would not have been able to purchase it. He is working on hiring a full-time driver, but in the meantime he is picking seniors up himself on Mondays. "Everyone thinks it's a wonderful idea. Seniors can get out of the house, get a haircut, and have some fun." Once seniors arrive in town, they can enjoy a 12 oz. Americano and oatmeal raisin cookie free of charge, compliments of Caffe La Boheme and Holly B's Bakery, who are Multanen's neighbors in the Lopez Plaza Building.

Limo service to the barbershop is free (for older folks unable to drive), and Multanen offers a discounted rate for customers over 65. Haircuts for those over 100 years old are free. Multanen would like to get Louis Washburn, who just turned 100, into the shop. "I've never given a 100-year-old person a haircut before!" he laughed.

Multanen is also renting the limo for birthdays, anniversaries, parties, and any other occasion. "It will help offset the cost of doing this free service," he said. A Lopez student has already rented the limo for prom.

The Barber in the Ville is open Monday-Saturday, 9-6 p.m. To arrange for limo pick-up, call 468-2661. For the homebound, Multanen also makes house-calls for hair trims.