Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org
Surnames: Nemitz, Poeschel, Schuette, Quicker, Kinnick
----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 11/03/2021
Nemitz Hangs Up Shears (After 50-Years – 22 October 2021)
Carl Nemitz trims Dewey Poeschel’s hair on his last day of business Oct. 22. Dewey was a customer of Carl’s for more than 25 years, and Dewey’s father Darrell even longer than that. Darrell was Carl’s customer when Carl worked in Eau Claire prior to opening his Neillsville barbershop in 1977. A few months after the barbershop opened, Dewey ended up moving to Neillsville and continuing his patronage. Nancy Curtin/Clark County Press
By Valorie Brecht
Neillsville barber Carl F. Nemitz has reached the end of his career after 52 years of cutting hair, with 44 of those in Neillsville. He says his favorite part of the job has been all the people he’s gotten to meet.
“I’ve gotten to know so many people. I’ve met a lot of people that I wouldn’t have gotten to know otherwise,” he said.
From childhood, Nemitz was interested in being a barber. As a kid. I would play barbershop with my cousin and use fake plastic razors. And growing up on a farm, I helped trim the cows,” he said.
Nemitz graduated from Neillsville High School in 1969. He attended Madison Area Technical College and graduated in 1970 with a one-year diploma. In July of that year, he started working in a two-chair barbershop in Racine. He continued working there full-time while attending school. He did one year of apprenticeship school at Racine Technical Institute and another year at Kenosha Technical Institute. (Now both are part of Gateway Technical College.) He completed his journeyman exam while working in Racine.
In January 1974, Nemitz started working at a four-chair barbershop, the Hair Den in Eau Claire. In March of that year, he was ready to take his master barber exam. Nemitz had the option of choosing a model for the exam or having oner appointed.
“I had my friend, Rory Schutte as the model for the exam. He’s been my friend since sixth grade; we grew up together. We still talk every week,” said Nemitz.
All of his studies paid off and Nemitz passed his exam. He also passed the written shop manager exam while in Eau Claire.
“It took about four and-a-half years to get everything completed,” said Nemitz.
He spent a few years in Eau Claire but had the desire to open his own shop. On May 16, 1977, he opened Carl’s Barbershop in Neillsville at 606 Grand Avenue, what is now the laundromat. He spent 20 years there before moving to 600 Clay Street, where he spent 24 years.
Over the years, Nemitz served people of all ages, and stages of life. He got to watch families grow as parents brought kids back to his shop.
“I’ve had five-generation haircuts already. In fact my first five-generation haircut was almost 20 years ago already,” he said.
Nemitz kept a busy schedule in his years in the profession. He kept his shop open five days a week, sometimes working 55 hours a week because he would keep his shop open Friday nights. In 2010, he cut back some on hours and when he turned 65, he went down to three days a week. Nemitz was the sole barber, although he had Jerry Quicker fill in a couple times when he had to be gone.
In his hours behind the chair, Nemitz got to know all about his clients, their families, and even their pets’ names. He also served as a confidante to many a client.
“They say that a barber and a bartender tend to hear a lot of things. For some of my customers, I was the only person they had to talk to. They needed someone to confide in. I always kept what they shared confidential,” said Nemitz.
He found fulfillment in what he did but decided to turn the page to the next chapter recently.
“I turned 70. That was the reason I decided. I felt it was time,” he said.
Nemitz had his last day of business Oct. 22. Fittingly, his brother-in-law Kinnick had the last haircut of the day. Kinnick was the first one to get his hair cut at Carl’s Barbershop, back in 1977.
Reflecting back on his time as a barber, Nemitz extended gratitude to his wife of 46 years, Barbara, for being a “great supporter.” He also expressed gratitude to his kids, Carl Ryan and Melisa, who both worked in the barbershop when they were younger and helped with cleanup.
“It was really a family project – my Mom and Dad were a great help as they took care of schooling for me,” he added.
Although Nemitz has stepped away from the barbering profession, the friendships he has made will remain.
“You don’t get rich as a barber, but you become very rich with friends,” he said.
