HOLLAND, Mich. — A barber shop that has served the Holland community since 1956 has a new owner. Originally founded by Roger Plasman, the shop transitioned to Scott Lubbers in 2015 and, as of recently, is now operated by Shawn Kamerman. All three barbers were born and raised in Holland.
"I always kind of looked at this place, and I thought that would be a fun little barber shop to have," said Lubbers Thursday.
With nearly fifty years under his belt as a barber, Lubbers bought Plasman's Barber and Styling Shop at 515 W 17th St in 2015, turning it into Scott's Barber Shop.
"It was like a perfect storm. Most of my customers that I had on the north side followed me over here, but a barber down the road, Allen Timmerman from Allen's Barber Shop, decided to retire," said Lubbers. "He had a small one man barber shop, and he asked me if he could send his customers over here."
Averaging around 100 haircuts a week, Lubbers believes he serviced around 400 customers.
"I miss my customers, but like I said, I don't wake up in the morning going, 'Gosh, I wish I could give somebody a haircut,'" Lubbers joked.
It's why he's passing his shears to Shawn Kamerman, who also grew up in Holland.
"Right along on the strip, there was a video store that I would frequent, and I would always remember seeing the barber pole spinning out front," said Kamerman. "When I [first] walked in, it wasn't old and dilapidated. It was like, this is kind of like a vintage but modern feel to the barber shop. And I was just like, I could see myself working here."
He purchased the shop from Lubbers in June after completing his schooling in May, changing the name to Shawn's Hair and Beard Bar. He said he's committed to honoring the legacies of the two barbers before him.
"[Plasman] bought this chair, that clock, and the barber pole. Those three things are original to 1956," Kamerman added. "One of the main things is, I wanted to continue the history of the shop."
Kamerman credits Plasman and Lubbers for the solid base of customers he's served so far.
"It's been great to have them, and they've been coming back, and they've rebooked again. So it's, it's amazing. It's a blessing. And it's all to Scott and Roger," Kamerman said.
Lubbers shares Kamerman's enthusiasm.
"I was so excited to turn this place into what it is, and I was so excited to go into retirement. Now, it's a blessing to not look back in your life and look forward," said Lubbers.
To preserve the shop's rich history, Kamerman plans to combine old and new branding, saying, "I'm going to use the old Roger’s business card, [Scott's] business card, and then my business card, and put it all in together and continue the history of the shop that way."
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