Barber Bing Blood reflects on his 38 years as a barber at his Barber shop the Gent's Den in Carson City Thursday afternoon. Blood plans to wear out as many fly fishing rods as he can during his retirement. photo by Rick Gunn
After 38 years cutting hair in Carson City, barber Bing Blood is closing his shop, "Gent's Den," at 807 North Plaza St.
"Taking that sign down is going to put the choke on me," he said of the worn wooden sign he made 20 years ago in his garage.
Inside his one-chair shop, Blood has cut the hair of men such as Bob List, Mike Callahan, Joe Dini, John Ascuaga, Milt Forman, Tom Davis -- even John Denver.
"He's cut everybody from the governor to the garbage man," said his wife, Stella.
Blood came to Nevada from Buchanan, Mich., to train Marines at Pickle Meadows in cold-weather survival techniques in 1964.
"I was going to get away from the cold weather," he said with a laugh.
He remembers how he and the other Marines on leave brought their $42 paychecks up to Carson. The sheriff would leave the jail cells open so they had bunks to sleep on.
"The first night I ever spent in Carson City was in jail," Blood said.
Wearing a Marine Corps pin on his shirt everyday, Blood has watched the city change from behind his barber's chair. When he arrived, it stretched from where South Stewart Street joins Carson to Airport Road on the North. Parking was still allowed on Carson Street. He remembers a ranch on the current site of the Department of Motor Vehicles.
"There was a big, old, sway-back horse that used to walk around out there," he said.
After a two-year apprenticeship with Al Larson on the north end of town, Blood bought Al Lewis' tonsorial parlor at 310 North Carson St. between the Spur and Murdock's (now B'sghetti's) in 1967. Lewis spent 63 years cutting hair.
"Back then, I couldn't understand why a guy would put in so many years behind that chair, but now I understand," said Blood. "It's a personal thing between me and my friends."
He calls the guys whose hair he trims friends -- not customers.
"I don't use the word 'customer' or 'patron,'" he said. "A lot of them have been to my house for dinner. They're just a great bunch of guys."
He met Stella Woolsey on Mother's Day in 1971, and they married a year later.
In about 1975, he moved into Wilbur's Men's Store on Curry Street then to his current location in 1981.
He said he gets along with other barbers in town, sending customers their way if he's swamped.
"I just think the world of these guys," he said, listing Les Patterson, who just retired from Les' Barbershop on Winnie Lane; Bobby Oulette and Eddy and Maria Cipriani.
Blood, 61, rents his space from building owner Paul Larquier, whom he called, "not just a great landlord, but also a great friend for 22 years."
Blood will be open for business until Thursday -- but don't just stroll in at random.
"I do appointments only," he said. "Of course, I've been known to do disappointments, too."
Blood has decorated his shop with pictures and trophies from his sporting pursuits --Emostly fishing and hunting. John Ascuaga brought in a framed photo of himself with a 38-pound king salmon caught off Queen Charlotte Island signed, "To a dear friend."
He pointed out the plaque given to him by the Carson High School wrestling team -- which he helped start -- for his 30-year commitment as a coach, official and fan.
"I'm really proud of that," he said. "Geez, there was some great kids in that program. You just love all of them like they were your own."
Blood's daughter is named Michelle. She married accountant Greg Yup, and they live in Reno with their children, Ashley, 6, and Robby, 4.
"They're my fishing partners," said Blood.
Fishing is exactly what he plans to do with his retirement.
"I want to wear out a fly rod," he said. "Me and my buddies Don Taylor and Billy Gillespie are going to try to put the fish in Lake Tahoe and Wild Horse Reservoir on the endangered species list."
If You Go
You can still get your hair cut by 38-year Carson City barber Bing Blood until Thursday. Call the Gent's Den barber shop, 807 North Plaza St., at 883-1369 for an appointment.
