Just as is said of Elvis: Petek has left the building! By the time you read this Chuck Petek will have closed the door to his barbershop after faithfully serving our community for 53 years.
A summer or two after moving to Cook County I ventured into Chuck’s barbershop for a haircut. Chuck did such a great job that I didn’t need to return for another sixteen years! I used to walk past Chuck’s shop window and shake my ponytail at him, Chuck always grinned, just biding his time. Last summer, I finally gave him a shot at a long deserved “trim” job. He lopped off that damn ponytail, not missing a snip.
Due to my lack of socialization during COVID, I had let my hair grow out again. This past week I booked an appointment, taking the opportunity for a visit during Chuck’s final week. What a fantastic memory Mr. Petek has! Seems that no matter how long it was between my past visits, Chuck always gives me exactly the same haircut as before!
Besides being the nicest guy in Cook County, Chuck should most certainly be awarded the Golden Clipper Award. I truly hope Chuck writes his memoirs, as no doubt he has some terrific stories to tell. One possibility: My North Pole – A Life Clipping The Public by Chuck Petek.
Bob “Short-cut” LaMettry,
Grand Marais, Minnesota
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