5 days ago
End of an era for Westgate Barber Shop, but its legacy lives on nearby
Ramon Carballude, 85, has been a fixture at the Westgate barbershop since 1968. The Spanish-born barber arrived as a young man and never left the chair.
After 70 years of trims, shaves and friendly chats, an Ottawa staple in barbering is closing its doors.
Westgate Barber Shop, one of the original businesses in the city's first shopping mall, shuts down at the end of July.
But its spirit, and its most familiar face, aren't going far.
Ramon Carballude, 85, has been a fixture at the shop since 1968. The Spanish-born barber arrived as a young man and never left the chair.
'We became one of the best. We have people from Vancouver who come back here,' he says, reflecting on the shop's loyal clientele. 'All these towns around, people come here. It's nice. Beautiful place. Busy.'
Carballude worked his way up from employee to co-owner in the 1970s and has been at the helm for the past 25 years. Through it all, he says he's never worried about business.
'You try to please the people best you can,' he says. 'You do a good job and people want to come back.'
Customer loyalty has been key. Dick Logan has been getting his hair cut by Carballude for years.
'I've been coming here since the mall opened in 1955,' says Logan. 'And we all keep coming back to this man because we know we got a good haircut.'
'Obviously, they give a good haircut.' Says Brent McElheran, a 25-year customer
The closure of the barbershop is connected to the shutdown of Westgate Mall, which will not be extending leases past October. The shop's last day at its current location will be July 31.
But it's not a full goodbye.
Hoang Vo, who has worked at the barbershop for 27 years, is taking over the business and reopening just down the road, at 1572 Carling Ave., on Aug. 5.
'We have long-term customers, and we don't feel like they're customers anymore,' says Vo. 'We just feel like friends.'
And Carballude—he's not quite ready to hang up the scissors.
'He has a lot of experience, and he doesn't want to stop, so we asked Ramon to come to the new location,' says Vo. 'For him to come work with us, that's an honour.'
While Carballude is sad to see his shop go, he's happy to keep providing quality cuts.
After 57 years behind the chair, Ramon Carballude is snipping away at what he loves, just at a new address.
'I enjoy conversations with people that way,' he says. 'And I don't feel like a quitter either.'
