“I like to be thorough — not in a rush,” Lennartz said. “My customers like to have a lot of stuff slopped on them.”
The Fort Recovery native began as a barber at the age of 19 after completing barber school in Columbus in the 1960s. He worked for three years in a shop in Huber Heights until he received his draft notice from the Army.
Upon his return, he didn’t have the client base to support his family, so he went into retail working for a furniture retailer while building, restoring and selling pianos until he retired at 65.
“What I learned working in retail really helped me out with this,” he said of his return to the barbering trade.
He took over a chair at Carl’s Barber Shop on Chambersburg Road in Huber Heights. Because he was a practitioner of the “high and tight” haircuts popular with those in the military and he wasn’t afraid to experiment, his customer base increased steadily especially among those stationed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and in law enforcement circles.
Business was so brisk, he opened his own shop at 2041 Harshman Road, with all the accoutrements of barbershops past including stadium seats from Riverfront Stadium, a command officer’s police hat, assorted industry knick knacks, a comfy couch for patrons-in-waiting, even the customary barber pole.
Adam Colon, an officer with the Riverside Police Department, has been a customer for three years and considers Lennartz the total package.
“He gives great customer service and knows how to give a great haircut,” Colon said. “He’s always there for you and he’s an interesting guy with a lot of life stories. He’s a jack-of-all-trades.”
To accommodate his military and law enforcement clientele, Lennartz has opened as early as 6 a.m. or stayed open well past 8 p.m.
“We taught Bob to text so that he knows when to schedule our appointments,” Colon said half-jokingly.
Outside the barber shop, Lennartz enjoys spending time with his wife, Delores, their five children and 10 grandchildren. He is the organist and choir director at St. Denis Catholic Church in Versailles and as an ode to his past professional career, enjoys restoring and selling pianos and organs.
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