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Hone & Strop: Experienced barber sets up shop in Sicamous

Garrett Pettie ran a barber shop in Port Alberni for over 7 years before moving to Sicamous
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Garrett Pettie runs the Hone & Strop barber shop at 1214 Riverside Avenue in Sicamous. He opened for business on Oct. 27, 2021. (Zachary Roman/Eagle Valley News)

Garrett Pettie wants you to feel more confident when you walk out of his barber shop.

Hone & Strop opened for business in Sicamous on Oct. 27 at 1214 Riverside Avenue. Pettie, its owner and barber, brings 20 years of barbering experience with him — including seven and a half running a barber shop in Port Alberni.

Pettie and his family were originally looking at moving to Salmon Arm, as they love the area.

“When we found Sicamous, which I hadn’t really discovered before, we really actually fell in love with this town and the feel of it,” said Pettie. “I know it can be busy in the summer, but it’s just that little bit more relaxed.”

Hone & Strop is open Wednesday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. “[But] if people see the door’s open and the pole’s on, I’m open,” said Pettie. During the busier summer season, he envisions spending a bit more time in the shop.

Hone & Strop is walk-in only and cash only; it’s all part of Pettie’s desire to keep the business simple and community-based.

In that spirit, Pettie has a chalkboard on his shop’s wall. If someone’s already getting their hair cut, a customer can write their name down and go about their day until it’s their turn.

“I’ll give them an idea of how long it’ll be and then they can come back in a little bit,” said Pettie. “I had online booking at my old place, and it was sometimes up to two, three weeks in advance people had to book their appointments. There was no room for walk-ins and it really lost a bit of that community of people coming in, sitting down and actually hanging out.”

Pettie loves working with his hands, and his favourite part of the job is seeing someone walk out of his shop with some extra pep in their step.

“I like being able to see somebody… exiting with this awesome fresh haircut, that gets some compliments and gives them confidence,” he said.

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Do you have something else we should report on? Email: zachary.roman@saobserver.net
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