Winnipeg barber shutters shop after 40 years of shaves, styling in St. James

After more than 40 years giving of haircuts and straight razor shaves under the same Portage Avenue roof, a Winnipeg barber is shutting his shop doors for good on Saturday. 

"Been cutting hair now for 58 years, enjoyed every minute of it," said Mike Martyniuk, owner of Mike's Place barbershop on Portage Avenue in St. James.

At age 78, Martyniuk is finally retiring.

"The body is saying 'hey, time for you to move on while you still can move around,'" he said Saturday. 

"I have no remorse, I've done my thing, [and I'll] ride off into the sunset."

Saturday was the last day to sit in Martyniuk's chair. Customers like Wayne Van Tassel lined up for one last cut.

"Just his sense of humour and his hospitality, you walk in and he's always joking, he's making you laugh, it's just a very comfortable atmosphere," said Van Tassel of why he patronized the shop for so long. 

Van Tassel says Martyniuk has been cutting his hair for over 40 years. His dad and uncle also had their hair cut at Mike's.

"I got one of his barber chairs, I picked it up the other day, it's going in my man-cave," said Van Tassel.

"It's part of the history you know, I've been coming here since I was a kid, so I wanted a little piece of it."

Ryan Carveth first visited the shop four years ago and had been coming ever since.

He says he doesn't know where he'll get his hair cut from now on because there aren't a lot of barbershops like Mike's still around.

"It's a shame that there's not more, that there's not a trade in it, I wish there was," said Carveth.

"The atmosphere here it's great, always good conversation."

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Martyniuk said that easygoing atmosphere comes, in part, from only cutting men's hair.

He said he had a few female customers over the years, but cutting women's hair wasn't for him.

He said the women didn't like having their hair done with men around and vice-versa.  

"Men are men, if you want to talk a little risque or whatever, you don't worry," he laughed.

'You've got to like what you're doing'

Martyniuk hoped someone would take over the business, but with few trained barbers around and more chain salons opening, he realized he'd have to sell the building at 1867 Portage Ave.

The shop has been there for 41 years, and Martyniuk doesn't know what the space will be turned into.

"I think there's been a barbershop for pretty well a hundred years in this block," he said.

Martyniuk said while he's ready to retire, there are things he will miss about his work. 

"I'll miss the people," he said.

"The clientele, the camaraderie, [I] always have different people from different walks of life, and you learn a lot from people."

"I've had politicians, I've had doctors. I've had lawyers, and accountants."

After growing up in the Winnipegosis area, Martyniuk fell into the trade by accident when his brother dropped out of barbering school and Martyniuk took his place.

"The rest is history, just kept on going, and never had to look for a job, the job came looking for me when I was still at the school," he said.

He said the key to lasting all those years was that he genuinely loved the work.

"You've got to like what you're doing," he said.

"It's not for everybody, you have to be able to get along with people and like people, I've never had a problem getting along with people."

Martyniuk says he plans to golf more and do some volunteer work. He's not shelving his scissors completely, though. 

"I'll be visiting people in their homes, doing their hair, they can't drive anymore so I go to their house," he said.