GREENFIELD — For barber Tim Dowd, cutting hair is a lifelong passion and a family affair.
“This is actually something I wanted to do when I was 12,” Dowd said.
The 33-year-old Greenfield resident and Montague native owns Tim’s Barber Shop, “home of the best cut in town,” at 72 Federal St. His wife, Jen Dowd, works at the reception desk, and their dog, Otis, freely roams the shop floor.
Dowd began working at Michael Z’s Barber Shop under owner Michael Zilch just after his 19th birthday. Zilch acted as a mentor to Dowd, but he soon stepped back after 50 years of cutting hair.
“It actually happened unexpectedly,” Dowd said. “One day I was cutting hair with my old boss and his son came in and blurted out, ‘Did you tell him you’re retiring yet?’”
In 2012, Dowd, then 22 years old, took over Zilch’s lease and renamed the business Tim’s Barber Shop. He said the transition forced him to mature more quickly.
The end of February marks the shop’s 10th anniversary.
Over the past decade, Tim’s has transitioned from a typical gentlemen’s shop to a family-focused place.
“It’s eye-opening that kids I was cutting when they were 7 years old are now graduated,” Dowd said. “That’s the most rewarding part, always being along the ride with them.”
But the past decade hasn’t come without its challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic forced Dowd and his four other barbers to reduce their daily customers by more than half, down to nine each. The pandemic, according to Dowd, has led people to express themselves through haircuts that are “a little bit funky,” and he’s come to expect unpredictability.
The shop spent a summer windowless and without air conditioning after a car crashed into the storefront in May 2018. Dowd said all the customers inside at the time still return, but employees will turn their heads at the sound of a loud trailer driving by.
David Righini, who has worked full-time as a barber at Tim’s since August, said he was drawn to “the clients and the area” in Greenfield — “and the dog” at Tim’s.
“There’s a lot of voices in Greenfield and you need to learn how to really listen,” Dowd said. “We’re getting very exposed to all different points of view.”
Nick Halsey, a “two-weeker” and regular customer at Tim’s, said he’s drawn back to the shop’s atmosphere and good haircuts.
Dowd said his proudest moments come when he finds out an interaction held meaning for a customer, whether it’s a child with disabilities who struggles with haircuts or a person with cancer deciding to shave their head.
“The most rewarding is finding out after the fact and knowing that how we handled things day to day was enough to make someone really happy,” Dowd said. “It’s a humbling thing. I’m just beaming ear to ear knowing that my guys or myself lived up to holding ourselves accountable.”
Over the next 10 years, Dowd hopes he can stand as proud as he does today. On Feb. 26, Tim’s Barber Shop will mark its anniversary with a small celebration and refreshments.