Sixty Years Sharp
Gene’s Barber Shop in Corning Celebrates 60 Years…
Gene’s Barber Shop in Corning doesn’t look much different than when Gene Hutchens first owned the shop in 1965. The prices have gone up a bit, and the original three chairs are now two, thanks to a pandemic-era health order. But the soul of the place—the camaraderie, the conversation, and the sense of small-town connection—has stayed steady for 60 years.
Gene Hutchens took over the barbershop in the Holiday Shopping Center on Solano Street soon after graduating from barber school in Sacramento. Back then, a haircut cost $1.50—hard to come by in those days, Gene notes. He’d heard through the grapevine that the Corning shop’s previous owner needed help. He showed up, made a good impression, and the shop was his shortly after.
“Back then, Corning reminded me a little bit of Mayberry RFD,” Gene says. “Everybody seemed to know everybody.”
He took over the clientele and quickly built friendships into decades-long relationships. “We try to be very courteous to every customer who walks through the door,” Gene says. “It’s that simple.”
That simple formula carried the business through all kinds of changes—some cultural, some economic. In the 1970s, long hair came into style, and barbers everywhere had to adapt or risk being left behind. Gene stuck it out.
Then, in 2007 or 2008, a new shop popped up across the street, advertising $6 haircuts when Gene’s shop was charging nearly double.
So, they put up their own sign: “We fix $6 haircuts.”
The other shop didn’t last more than six months.
Customers knew what they wanted—value, not just low prices. “They didn’t want a $6 haircut,” Gene says. “They wanted a Gene’s haircut.”
Gene’s son, Luke Green, started working in the shop in 2006 and slowly took over the reins. Like his dad, Luke doesn’t think of himself as just a barber. He sees the shop as a community resource—a place where people come not only for a trim but to connect.
“Every day is something different,” Luke says. “And the people are great.”
Luke grew up in the shop, swept hair, and watched his dad build relationships with men from all walks of life—farmers, retirees, auto parts salesmen, local laborers, businessmen and the occasional out-of-town visitor.
“There was no internet,” Gene says. “The barbershop was the meeting place in town. You’d get guys stopping by on their lunch breaks just to sit, sip coffee and chat.”
Those spontaneous drop-ins still happen. Some folks bring donuts. Others just come by to check in. And around the holidays, a few longtime clients still show up with a small bottle of “liquid enjoyment,” as Gene puts it.
“It’s like a second home,” Luke says. “We’re in tune with Corning. If you need a plumber, we probably know the best one. Need an electrician? Same thing. That’s the kind of place it is.”
Over the years, Gene’s served all kinds of people—and he means all kinds.
“Rich man, poor man, beggars and thieves,” he says, with a chuckle. “That covers everybody.”
Now 60 years in, Gene still works the shop when he can, but Luke leads the day-to-day operation. The prices are modest: $15 for a haircut, $11 for a shave and $7 for a beard trim. More importantly, customers can count on consistency.
“Our customers want a certain style, and it’s our job to give it to them,” Luke says. “It takes listening. And remembering.”
Gene says the business has survived not just because of good haircuts, but because of the way customers are treated—like family. He’s made house calls for elderly or sick clients.
In the past, he’s even gone into hospitals to give a familiar trim to someone who needed a
little comfort.
“We are a friend to everybody,” he says. “And everybody loves to have a friend.”
That same attitude has helped build not just customer loyalty, but a generational legacy. The shop hasn’t moved in six decades, and it’s had the same family landlords since day one. Gene credits Ray Lacamire—along with his daughter, Ann Williams, and her husband Bud—for supporting the business through thick and thin.
“I’ve kept this thing going so long because I can see the benefit to me, the benefit to my son and the benefit to the public,” Gene says. “I love it.”
As Gene’s Barber Shop marks 60 years in Corning, it’s clear this is more than just a place to get your ears lowered. It’s a gathering place. A listening post. A little piece of old-school Americana that’s somehow still thriving in the modern age.
And as long as there are stories to swap, hair to trim, and friendships to build, Gene’s Barber Shop will keep the chairs turning. •
Gene’s Barber Shop
Holiday Shopping Center, 1952 Solano St., Corning • (530) 824-2766
Article Written by:
Al Olson loves culinary arts, adult beverages and hiking in the North State wilderness. You may find him soaking up the scenery at one of our area’s many state or national parks or sitting in a barstool sipping a cold locally brewed craft beer.
