If you take a look from the outside, you may not see anything more than just the Westwood Barbers hard at work. But there is something unique going on, not the way they are cutting hair but who is cutting hair in the chair next to them.
“I worked with my brother for years, we worked together at the Lima Mall and now I have my daughter, my son-in-law, grandsons, and it's nice to have family members,” says David Wood Owner, Westwood Barbers.
David and Craig Wood have built a legacy of barbers in their family that is three generations strong.
“It makes me feel proud like to continue on a tradition that my dad and my uncle have started,” says Sara Bailey, 2nd generation barber. “Then my son is right beside me. So, just to work with him and to watch his growth.”
You might think with that many barbers in one family there would be clippers and combs given to the kids at early ages. But it is David and Craig’s love of their craft that has brought out their family’s passion for barbering and to also join them at Westwood.
“No I was kind of surprised,” adds Woods. “I never tried to push anybody in the family into barbering. I was always if they were interested I was willing to help and do all I can to encourage them. But I never wanted to talk anybody into it.”
“It’s unusual in society that people do that anymore most businesses are pretty transient as far as the people they get and people that leave it's unusual to have a family business without many people,” says Jeremy Sanders, David’s son-in-law.
“I think it is just a testament to our family,” says Bailey. “Not a lot of families could work together, be together, play together, have holidays together, so I think it's a testament to our family and the unique situation that we have here and how close we are. But yet we still respect each other.”
And this tradition may not stop with the 3rd generation. “I hope it continues to go, I love it. I hope I have grandchildren working here someday,” adds Sanders.
