by Reece Rutland 

BENTON, IL – Part real-world classroom, part morning coffee shop conversation and all full-service barbering, Benton’s Armed Barbers are aiming to serve up more than just a quality shave and a haircut. The dynamic duo of Ray Minor and John D. Sweet are looking to help resurrect an important service industry that once stood as the cornerstone of local communities.

Minor came by the idea honestly. For decades his grandfather served as one of Benton’s barbers. So, when Minor retired from the Illinois State Police as a Master Sergeant, he wasn’t willing to stop serving his community. He set his sights on recreating those experiences of his youth formed by spending time in his grandfather’s shop and the important life lessons he learned there.

“When I was a boy, we used to go to grandfather’s barbershop to get my hair cut. Even if I wasn’t there long, I got to see men interacting with other men in a positive setting. Those experiences are, unfortunately, few and far between today. So, I wanted to recreate that opportunity,” expressed Minor.

To that end, Minor enrolled in the Rend Lake College Barber Program where he met kindred spirit and fellow Benton resident John D. Sweet.

Truth be told, it wasn’t actually the first time the pair met.

Minor actually knew Sweet’s parents, having gone to school together. In fact, Minor and Sweet’s father were good friends growing up.

Sweet joked that when he was younger, he knew Minor as “Officer Minor” around the house.

The conversation to start the barbershop was a product of carpool rides while the pair were still in the RLC barber program.

“Basically, I was in the process of building this building. I knew my shop was going to be here. Sweet and I both live in Benton, so we developed a friendship. Then, we started trading rides, and the more we got to know one another, the more we realized that we meshed on a number of different levels. Our ideology and thoughts were very in line right down to what we thought about barbering and what barbering should be,” explained Minor.

So, what should barbering be?

Both men strongly feel that the shop should be more than a place to just get a haircut.

The Armed Barbers pose in front of their vintage barber chairs. John D. Sweet, left, and Ry Minor, right, sought to create not only a great place to get a haircut and shave, but also an atmosphere reminiscent of all the cultural institution that the local barber shop once represented. Reece Rutland, Rend Lake College Public Information

“We are both focused on doing a great job and growing with the community. Ray and I both believe that this is more than just a shop. This is a place for men to come and be men and communicate with men. We’ve lost that somewhere. You don’t really see that place anymore for a man to go between home and work to interact with his fellow man that isn’t a bar. The local barber shop used to be a place like that, and that’s that atmosphere we are trying to cultivate,” elaborated Sweet.

Minor also lamented the disconnect between father figures and a younger generation, citing electronic communication as hampering a vital skillset needed for face-to-face conversation; skills like eye contact and a firm handshake.

Creating an atmosphere where a father and a son can both get their hair cut, or a younger man can come in to talk to and learn from his elders, was a vital building block of what the Armed Barbers are setting out to accomplish.

More than simply a place to get a haircut or a shave, Minor and Sweet preside over a gathering place full of etiquette, comradery, fellowship and a few tall tales.

To facilitate that atmosphere, Minor and Sweet even installed their two chairs to allow for a father and son to face each other while they get their hair cut together while talking and sharing a moment with each other.

The response has been positive.

Armed Barbers had a soft opening Aug. 8 and the community support for what the pair has accomplished has only been growing.

“So far, it has been amazing how receptive everyone has been. They love it. People have been telling us they haven’t seen something like this in a long time. Or, even our younger customers saying they’ve never had a service like this. I don’t think we are doing anything more than would have been expected 50 years ago, but that personal touch at places is lacking now. So, people really notice when you make it about them and treat them like a customer should be treated,” said Minor.

Change of Pace

Both men come into barbering from different careers.

Like his father before him Sweet was a local coal miner. He worked in the mines for 10 years before returning to school to pursue a new profession.

Minor’s father was also a coal miner, but Minor went into law enforcement and had a career that spanned three decades.

Both men have their father’s hard hats hanging up in the shop, a symbol of where they came from.

Minor also embraces the legacy of his grandfather, having a display of his old straight razors on the wall, a relic of Benton history and an important symbol to Minor.

“Everything we have hanging up in here is important to us. It shows how much we revere those who came before us. It shows how much we respect our history, and our armed forces, law enforcement and other emergency service personnel,” said Minor.

“We see this as a servant’s role. We are both big on serving members of our community that have served us. And, that’s reflected in the shop,” elaborated Sweet.

To that end, the pair provides discounted services to all members of the military, law enforcement and emergency services.

So, what about the hair? Armed Barbers is much more than life lessons and good conversation; the duo make some pretty talented barbers too.

“I wanted to be a part of a place where not only did we capture that feeling of yesteryear, but we could get a good shave, get a nice haircut and get pampered a little bit. Even guys like to get pampered now and then,” chuckled Sweet.

In addition to cleaning their patrons up, Minor and Sweet are happy to provide some grooming tips for their customers to take home to keep local guys looking sharp in-between trips to the barber shop.

“It is still admirable to be a gentleman. That’s a good thing. That’s what we want to teach here, and part of being a gentleman is looking the part,” said Minor.

And these two know their stuff. In addition to completing the RLC program and earning their degrees, they took it upon themselves to do plenty of extra work outside the classroom to ensure that their skills lined up with the exceptional level of service that they wished to provide.

As part of their preparation, both Minor and Sweet spent plenty of time visiting barber shops all around the area, both to learn from others in the field and to take away ideas and impressions for their own business.

The pair now hopes to be a resource to future RLC barber students to help pass on this important tradition.

Those lessons they learned and hope to pass on aren’t limited to the barber chair. Starting a business hasn’t been easy. But, both men have described the journey so far as “rewarding.”

Minor joked that the first day Armed Barbers was open, the pair hoped for a single haircut apiece to walk through the door. They hit their goal those first two days, but that third day, no one showed up.

“Building this has been a lot of footwork. That’s something people need to keep in mind when they are building a business,” explained Sweet. “We know everything we do is a representation of who we are and what this business is. And now, there’s a reason we have so many people come back. They know we are going to treat them right. They know it’s going to be a genuine experience. They know how important they are to us,” said Sweet.

“They know we are going to make them feel special,” added Minor. “They know that for 30 minutes they have our undivided attention. We are putting 100 percent into that service, and people can feel that. From the consultation and conversation at the beginning to the hot towel and hand shake at the end, they know we appreciate them.”

To learn more about the services provided by the Armed Barbers, hours of operation and pricing, visit www.extremeexigency.com, email extreameexigency@gmail.com or call (618) 629-3433. Walk-ins are welcome. Additional information may also be found on the Armed Barbers Facebook page.

Anyone interested in information about the Rend Lake College Barber Program can visit the college’s website at www.rlc.edu/studiorlc or contact Studio RLC at the RLC MarketPlace Campus in Mt. Vernon at (618) 242-8459.