Gentleman barber

By Jack Krayenhoff

Gentlemen of James Bay! Allow me to introduce to you Keith Porter, barber and owner of the Boat House Barber Shop, 675 Battery Street. On second thought, I may not have to introduce him, because he already seems to know about half of James Bay's gentlemen. Also, if you have seen him once, you are not likely to forget him because of his striking appearance. It is a living illustration that his business is about hair: his scalp shaved bald, but by contrast he has a large, luxuriant, barely contained moustache which suggests a fierce disposition. But talk to him for five minutes, and you realize he is the nicest, most companionable barber who has ever cut your hair. And cut it well, too.

Keith has barbering in his genes. His grandfather was a barber - a picture of him plying his trade in a barbershop hangs on the wall. "That's him in Calgary," says Keith. "And there, through the door, you can see four pool tables, and beyond that the hot-and-cold baths. And look at this one. Here he is in the basement of the Yarrows Building in the twenties. These are the first hydraulic chairs - big, cast iron things. There are the Greek shoe-shine boys, and the hot-and-cold baths and out there the pool hall." It sounds as if those days a shave was only a part of a gentleman's morning out.

Well, perhaps times have not changed all that much. Keith's barbershop is much more than a place to get your hair trimmed. Listen to his career.

"I was born in Victoria - just three houses down this street. I started in the hairdressing business when I was 17, and built up a nice chain of shops. But I was always running from one shop to the next to keep them going, and I didn't like that, so when I was 41 I sold them. Then my wife and I went into real estate for quite a while, then the hotel/motel business, and then to Hawaii, where our daughter lives and our two grandchildren. Those grandchildren are important business for us - we still spend a lot of time there, every year. In Hawaii I bought a greenhouse and grew orchids - 78,000 of them! But after a couple of years I got tired of that and we moved back to Victoria, to our old house here on Battery."

"But I had nothing to do. So I said to my wife, 'I'm going to open a barbershop here. Not to make money, but to have something to do in the mornings'. It worked out great. It's terrific!"

What makes it so great? "Mostly having people come in the door. When I'm busy, with one or two guys waiting, they talk to each other, and I can see they enjoy it. They get some time out of it. We have great conversations. Just b.s., you know, that's the appeal. One customer likes to talk about politics. You're not supposed to talk about politics, but I enjoy it. The customers come back, and they get to know you, and you them. It's fun, you have things in common. It's very comfortable."

The Boat House Barber Shop may not have hot-and-cold baths and no pool tables, but it sounds as if Keith has created a relaxing and fun time out for the boys anyway, like his grandfather. Plus, he gives them a good haircut.