Grain Exchange Barbershop
Permanently Closed
March 29th, 2023
I’m taking some time off, and in the future I’ll be cutting hair with Rich at Industrial Arts Barbershop, 2903 27th Ave S, Minneapolis, attached to the Schooner Bar just off East Lake Street. Same phone number for me. Same great haircuts at a great price. — Barber Bob
Grain Exchange Barbershop
400 South 4th Street #118
Minneapolis, MN 55415
612-333-7426
Many of the office towers downtown had barber shops in their lobbies years ago. This is the last shop remaining of its kind and the oldest shop in Minneapolis. It is a little hard to find, invisible from street, but worth the effort! Especially if you like classic, turn-of-the-century architecture.
Management will be renovating the lobby—and the shop is in the lobby. “Twas ever thus” (in the words of Laurel and Hardy). Whenever a shop like this disappears the community suffers.
The downtown area is transforming into a residential neighborhood and I’ve been trying to hang in until there were enough people living in the community to support a shop like this—but transformation can be deadly! I always thought it was fun having museum quality work in this homely setting and it was fun knowing that many of my clients had no idea they were looking at “Art.” That’s how it should be I think. Some of my clients knew about my background in the arts—or that I use to be a writer and an internationally known Art Historian. It’s still my dream to have a barbershop and art gallery combination some day. As it turned out the “gallery” thing never happened here but the Grain Exchange Barbershop was unique and the art was odd and interesting.
