Steadfast Forever, Meyers High! - A Slice of History

Stepping into the barber shop feels like traveling back in time. Adorning its walls are memorabilia and artifacts that preserve the history of the area, especially the legacy of the former Elmer L. Meyers High School, located just across the street.

The image above captures the essence of this connection. Showcased are jerseys, signs, and pennants emblazoned with the "Meyers Mohawks" logo, honoring the high school that served generations of students before its closure. Each piece tells a story of Friday night lights, school pride, and a community that rallied around its beloved institution.

E.L. Meyers High School was a staple of the Wilkes-Barre community for decades. Built in 1930, it stood as a testament to the city’s rich history, producing not only well-rounded graduates but also a strong sense of belonging and tradition. The school’s Mohawk mascot became a symbol of strength and resilience, and the blue and gold colors represented more than just sports teams—they were the heart of the community.

Though the school has since closed and merged with others to form the Wilkes-Barre Area High School, its memory remains alive in places like Carey’s Avenue Barber Shop. Locals who visit for a haircut often share stories about their time at Meyers, reminiscing about pep rallies, championship games, and lifelong friendships.

The shop itself is more than just a place for trims and shaves; it’s a community hub where history and camaraderie intersect. Its walls proudly display items like Meyers jerseys, pennants, and a license plate—tokens of a bygone era that continue to inspire pride in those who remember. Adding to the nostalgia, the shop also houses a collection of The Colophon, the Meyers High School yearbook, with editions dating all the way back to 1935. Customers often flip through these yearbooks, reminiscing over old photos and reliving cherished memories of classmates, teachers, and moments that defined their school days.

Carey’s Avenue Barber Shop and the legacy of E.L. Meyers High School are intertwined in preserving the spirit of Wilkes-Barre. For long-time residents, alumni, and newcomers alike, they serve as reminders of the enduring power of community and tradition. Whether you’re getting a haircut or simply stopping by to admire the memorabilia, it’s clear that both the barbershop and the high school have left an indelible mark on the hearts of many.

As time marches on, the stories and pride of the Meyers Mohawks live on in places like Carey’s Avenue Barber Shop—a cherished link to Wilkes-Barre’s vibrant past.

A Salute to Mr. Peanut: Wilkes-Barre’s Icon and His Connection to Carey’s Avenue Barber Shop

When you think of iconic mascots, few are as recognizable as Mr. Peanut. This dapper, monocle-wearing legume isn’t just a global icon for Planters snacks—he’s also a proud part of Wilkes-Barre’s history.

 The Origins of Mr. Peanut

 In 1916, Planters held a logo contest to find a mascot for their growing peanut business. A young local boy, Antonio Gentile, submitted the original drawing of what would become Mr. Peanut. With some refinements from a professional illustrator, Mr. Peanut came to life and has been representing the brand ever since. While Planters’ roots extend beyond Wilkes-Barre, the area has embraced Mr. Peanut as one of its own, celebrating his legacy and connection to our community.

 Mr. Peanut’s Timeless Style

 One of the things that makes Mr. Peanut stand out is his timeless style—top hat, cane, spats, and, of course, that iconic monocle. His polished look is a nod to the classic gentlemen of his time, a style that resonates deeply with what we offer at Carey’s Avenue Barber Shop. At Carey’s, we value tradition and timeless grooming, much like the elegance embodied by Mr. Peanut. While we don’t cater to legumes, we do ensure our human clients leave looking as sharp as this beloved mascot.

Why Mr. Peanut Would Love Carey’s Avenue Barber Shop

 If Mr. Peanut were to stroll down Carey Avenue, we like to think he’d feel right at home in our barbershop. With our old-school charm and focus on personalized service, we channel the same classic vibes that Mr. Peanut represents. Whether it’s a straight razor shave or a dapper haircut, our services reflect the same attention to detail and sophistication that define Mr. Peanut’s style.

 Celebrating Wilkes-Barre’s Heritage

 As a local barbershop, we’re proud to be part of a city with such rich history and iconic symbols. Mr. Peanut serves as a reminder of the creativity and spirit of Wilkes-Barre, and we’re honored to play a role in preserving the charm and tradition of our community.

At Carey's Avenue Barber Shop, we celebrate Wilkes-Barre's rich heritage by showcasing an extensive collection of Mr. Peanut memorabilia. Our walls are adorned with vintage advertisements, figurines, and rare collectibles, each telling a story of the iconic mascot's journey through the decades. This homage not only honors Mr. Peanut's deep-rooted connection to our city but also offers our patrons a unique glimpse into a cherished piece of local history.

In November 2019, Jon Meyer from WNEP Channel 16 visited our barbershop for his segment "On the Pennsylvania Road." During his visit, he explored our collection of Mr. Peanut memorabilia and engaged with our customers, capturing the essence of our shop and its ties to the community.

We invite you to visit Carey's Avenue Barber Shop, where you can enjoy traditional barbering services while immersing yourself in the nostalgic charm of Mr. Peanut's legacy.

Surviving the Pandemic of 2020 - Part II

CoVid19 is Changing the World

What to Expect Once the Barber Shop Opens Again

Where Were We?

In part one we looked at how things were before CoVid19 hit; how we were absorbed with life in general. Once the shut down occurred, I started cleaning out and rebuilding the inside of the shop. We saw new additions and you got to meet my grandchildren. In part 2, we’re going to look at some of the things that have taken place more recently. My hope through all of this is to provide you with a positive perspective on how the pandemic has affected things here and how we’re still moving forward and keeping this dream alive. So don your face mask, keep a good social distance, and we’ll walk together through this.

Money’s been Tight

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining or begging for money; but when your primary source of income is shut off, you have to get creative or you might starve. I’ve been fortunate. Many of my friends and customers have come forward to help me out in fantastic and awesome ways.

Some friends have simply sent money and asked I pay it forward. To that end, I will be looking for ways to provide haircuts to those in need. If you know someone who might need a haircut or a shave; but does not have the funds to pay for it, please call the shop at 570-822-1450. I will be happy to help them out at no charge.

Other friends have sent notes of encouragement, purchased loyalty cards, and have called or texted to make sure my needs and my family’s needs were met.

My daughter set up a T-Shirt fund raiser to sell shirts with the barbershop logo. To date, the sale has gone tremendously well. The shirts will be delivered sometime in July. I am absolutely amazed at the outpouring of support.

The City of Wilkes-Barre came through in a big way. The city offered small businesses, impacted by the pandemic, no interest loans. This money came through at just the right time and ensures the business will open once Luzerne County is at the Green phase.

Mayor Brown and me

New Appointment Scheduler

Once the shop opens again, all customers will be seen by appointment only. I have created a new appointment scheduling page through my website provider, SquareSpace. You can make your next appointment by selecting the”Make an Appointment” link on the website menu. The new system is much cleaner and allows you to better customize your visit.

Changes to Expect When You Visit the Shop

Barbering has always had strict sanitation requirements. From using Barbicide to soak and sanitize the combs; to every customer wearing a Sanek neck strip; washing hands before and after every customer; and spray sanitizing all implements, sanitation has been key in keeping a clean barber shop.

While the shop was closed, I attended a sanitation refresher course. This course was presented by Barbicide Sanitation Products. Given the rules for Pennsylvania while in the Green phase, we will follow all of the CDC guidelines and barbering sanitation rules.

Now, when you come in the shop, along with all of the previous sanitation methods, be assured the chair will be properly wiped and sanitized between customers; customers will need to wear a mask, I will be wearing a mask and gloves; every customer will wear a drape that has been washed the previous night and not used by anyone else for the day. The number of clients will be limited to just those who have an appointment.

Pricing Increase, New Hours, and A Date to Open

Given the additional expenses and expectation that we cannot process at full capacity, I have had to implement a slight price increase. My hope is this increase in price does not overly impact people; but given all the new expenses at the shop it cannot be prevented.

New Pricing Board

As the shop is going to be by appointment only, I am going to open the appointment scheduler to allow for some evening hours two or three days each week.

Finally, Pennsylvania recently announced Luzerne County will enter Green Phase on June 19th. I have opened the barber shop appointment scheduler to accept appointments starting on June 19th.

The Barber Awaits Your Arrival

I hope this has given you a small sense to what has been going on at Carey’s Avenue Barber Shop while we’ve been closed. I want to thank you all for your continued loyalty, friendship, and patronage. I hope to see you at the barber shop on or after June 19th.

Surviving the Pandemic of 2020 - Part 1

CoVid19 is Changing the World

What to Expect Once the Barber Shop Opens Again

A brief history of how we got here.

A few months ago, the barber shop was a busy place. Gentlemen would congregate in the shop, hang out to chat with other men, play games, drink coffee, and of course get haircuts, beard trims, and shaves.

Life in the Shop - PrePandemic

In January, the death of Mr. Peanut was big news in Wilkes-Barre. Planters aired a commercial depicting the demise of Mr. Peanut. A couple of television stations stopped by the barber shop to talk about Mr. Peanut, his life, and his purported death.

However, all the while we went on with our regular lives, something was brewing. The Corona Virus Disease 2019 (CoVid19) started making its way around the globe late last year. By December, it was prevalent in Asia and Europe. On January 20th, 2020, the first case of CoVId19 was reported in the United States; but here at the barber shop, we were concerned with just one thing. The death of Mr. Peanut. The Mr. Peanut story from the barber shop aired on WNEP (Scranton/Wilkes-Barre) on January 22nd and on WFMZ (Allentown) on January 23rd.

Throughout February and into March, we all continued with our lives. All the while we heard more and more about CoVid19. The initial stories claimed it was like another flu. We heard “Don’t panic; but wash your hands.”  We continued going out to eat; gather with family; the Mr. Peanut craze died down; sporting events continued; and people came in for haircuts and shaves. I even found time to act in a play.

By early March, it was clear that CoVid19 was not just an ordinary flu. The first cases of CoVid19 were reported in Pennsylvania on March 6th. Governor Wolf issued orders to shut down schools and parks effective March 13th and all non-life sustaining business had to close as of March 19th. This order included the barber shop. I posted signs; shut out the lights; and locked the door. Even now, it is not clear how long the barbershop will remain shut down.

What’s Happening at the Barber Shop during the Shutdown?

Before I had much time to consider what was happening, a couple of friends and customers called to ask what they might do to help. They wanted to know if they could purchase some haircuts in advance.  This gave me an idea. I created a program where customers could prepay for haircuts (services). I posted the program in social media, and many of you called to purchase loyalty cards.  The well wishes I have received from so many people has truly lifted my spirits. The outpouring of support has truly been a blessing.  As the pandemic has continued longer than expected, I temporarily halted Loyalty Program sales as we have well over fifty members.  The program shall be open again once we have a better sense of the duration of the lock down.

I have also taken some time to give the barber shop a thorough cleaning.  I started by emptying the shop of all equipment and I removed all the decorations and pictures from the wall. 

Empty Shop

The back room took upon the appearance of an antique store with all the shop furniture stored in the back room.  More on the back room in a bit.

After dusting, sweeping, vacuuming, scrubbing, and sanitizing, the effort to put everything back into the shop allowed me an opportunity to move many things around.  Various furniture items were moved and many of the pictures hung in different locations.  I also used this as an opportunity to add some new items to the shop.

Two new items in the shop are incredibly special.  The first item was presented to me after a local church closed.  St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church closed late last year.  One of the members gave me an old hymn board.  I have repurposed this to be the barber shop’s pricing board.  The second item is just as special.  My niece, Lauren, commissioned a map of the city of Wilkes-Barre.  She had it printed poster size and sent it to me for the barber shop.  When I received this item, I was completely surprised and touched that she would think of me in this way.  To make it even more special, she used this as an opportunity to send some business to a business local to her in Florida.  I will forever cherish these items.

Family Needs and Time Away

As the pandemic wore on into a second month, it started to seem like there was no end in sight. Many of you may not know; but my wife was in Virginia providing much needed child care for our grand children. Our son and daughter in-law both have essential jobs; but they lost their day care due to the pandemic. My wife was the perfect choice to take care of the little ones. She also managed to spend a few days with our other granddaughter in southeast Pa. I also managed to spend two weeks in Virginia helping the family move.

Transformation of the Back Room

Although it was wonderful spending time with family, it is difficult being away. There are bills to pay and even though the shop is closed, there’s still work that needs to be done.

It became clear while I was away that if the shop were to survive, I’d have to make more changes and find a way to cover the bills. Given that everything must be wiped down after anyone touches something, I decided that I can no longer offer games such as pool, air hockey, and foosball.

I have cleared out the back room. I now looks similar to how it did when the shop opened five years ago.

More to come …

In Part 2, you’ll learn about my daughter’s effort to help by selling Barber Shop T-Shirts; The new appointment scheduling page; sanitation procedures; and hopefully some insight when Pennsylvania plans to go Green.

Three Years of Growth and Change

September 23rd 2018 marks the third anniversary since I opened Carey's Avenue Barber Shop.

The day the shop opened was the culmination of a year and a half long journey to end one career and start a new one; but that is a story for another day.  Join me now as we take a look back at some of the changes and things that remain the same at Carey’s Avenue Barber Shop.

On that first day open,  I provided service to just six customers and received a number of well wishers.  My very first customer was my landlord, Dr. John Miller.  

Since that day I have been blessed to count many people as customers and friends.   Below is just a small photo book of the many people who have come into the barber shop.

Business continues to grow at a sure and steady pace.    On average I welcome a new customer almost every day.  Repeat customers look around the shop and notice how things change over time. 

Many things have changed in the shop.  The back room is now a game room; there was a dress shop added to the back; but now that is gone;  some items in the shop have been moved out; other items have been moved in.  Below are some pictures of the shop through out the last three years.

Over the past three years, I’ve hosted a number of special activities.  Wedding haircuts, a Lula Roe Dress party, Men’s Bible Study, International Talk Like a Pirate Day, and of course the various holiday movie marathons. (A Christmas Story and the Halloween Monster Movies).  I also participated in a United Way fund raising event where I shaved two men at Mondelez International.

The shop collection of antiques and odd items continues to grow and change.  To really appreciate it you must stop in.  Look around.  Everything has a story, just not necessarily all true.

The basic service remains the same since I opened three years ago.  Haircuts, Shaves, Beard Trims, and Towel Services.  I have added some niceties to the process.  Loyalty Cards, First Haircut Certificates, Gift Certificates, and complimentary beverages.

The center of it all is of course my 100+ year old barber chair.

View fullsize

As another year begins, I am truly thankful for all the folks who come in day after day and week after week, trusting me to provide them with top notch service.