New barber finds Thompson Falls a good fit

Thompson Falls has a new barber. The Barber Pole has re-opened after being closed for several months. Gussie O'Connor, a long-time men's barber from Coeur d'Alene, moved to the area recently and took over the Thompson Falls business. "I didn't pick it, Thompson Falls picked me," O'Connor said. She added that she knows western Montana well, having traveled through most of the area. One day, she said, the opportunity opened up and she was looking to move somewhere more affordable. "I needed a place to move to, and they needed a barber," O'Connor said of Thompson Falls. According to her, she is now the only barber for 30 miles in either direction. "It's a win-win," she said.

O'Connor, or "Gussie O'" as she calls herself, owns the Gentlemen's Quarters Barber Shop in Coeur d'Alene. She has been a licensed barber for 37 years, but she practiced barbery as a hobby an additional 10 years prior to getting licensed. O'Connor also spent 10 years on the Idaho State Barber Board. "I am supposed to be retired, but I really, really still enjoy what I do!"

She now rents the space at the Barber Pole in downtown Thompson Falls and started cutting hair in early June. After meeting the previous barber who retired due to illness and the manager of the building, "we instantly became friends," said O'Connor. "It was a perfect fit." Now O'Connor is looking for a permanent place to stay because she commutes from Plains where she lives with her brother.

"I've enjoyed everyone that has come in," O'Connor said. She also said that business has been "nicely busy. I like to run just a good old-fashioned men's haircut place." The new barber is at the Barber Pole 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Tuesday through Friday. She explained that those hours could expand if she is able to find a place to live in Thompson Falls, eliminating the commute. Haircuts are $16 and O'Connor tells customers to "bring your humor!" When asked about the price she said, "What's more important to me is the atmosphere and the camaraderie."