If you’re style conscious and looking for another option among countless hair cut franchises and unisex salons— if not just for the chance to engage in relaxed conversation— it’s well worth the short drive to Bowling Green for a new, old-school barbershop experience.
Tiffin-native Paul Sendelbach, 30, opened the Old Mill Barbershop on South Main Street in Bowling Green this past May after stumbling upon his calling in hair care. While a BGSU student in Exercise Science from 2003 to 2008, he began by cutting his own mane, then those of close friends — and then friends of friends. He quickly realized he enjoyed it, and was good at it, too.
A short stint in landscaping helped provide the impetus and investment for what he really wanted to do.
“Basically, I wanted to find something I’m good at,” Sendelbach said of his new barbershop career. He eventually studied his craft at the Ohio State College of Barber Styling in Columbus, receiving his degree in 10 months.
All welcoming, all styles
The pompadour cut is big right now, but Sendelbach’s range of styles is wide, and he heartily welcomes female clients, too.
“I don’t limit myself to any specific kind of hairstyle or cut,” he said.
His customers are growing in number, and they appreciate his attention to detail not always found in mainstream salons.
“There’s no one else around here that can offer the services Paul can— the straight razor, the beard trimming,” said Kelly Hunt, who has become a regular customer. “When I lived in Nashville I experienced a real barbershop. [Old Mill Barbershop] is like that.”
Old is new
Although Sendelbach could have set up shop in Tiffin, he quickly realized that his hometown is half the size of Bowling Green, and it has twice as many barbers.
“There’s plenty of room for another barber in town,” he said. “Everybody needs their hair cut.”
His new shop certainly offers the pedigree and charm— it sits inside the former Milliken Hotel, built by an oil tycoon in the 1890s and operated as upscale lodging until the 1950s. Famous guests included Ernest Hemingway, H.J. Heinz and Clark Gable.
Sendelbach’s location once served as the hotel’s very own barbershop, and its new name— Old Mill— is a nod to the building’s past. As Sendelbach renovated its interior, he discovered the original, ornate tile floor, which customers now enjoy.
Putting mane in Main Street
Sendelbach looks forward to a long stay at the venerable “Four Corners,” the central intersection of Main and Wooster streets in downtown BG.
“It’s been going well,” he said. “Things are progressing every week.”
The Old Mill Barbershop offers haircuts for $14, which includes a steam towel and neck shave. Face and beard shaves are $18, beard trims are $2 and up, and single blade buzz cuts are $10.
Hours: 10am-7pm Tuesday through Friday, 10am-3pm Saturday, closed Monday and Sunday
Old Mill Barbershop, 107 S. Main St., Bowling Green
419-819-4809
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