Vancouver barbershop leaving longtime digs

Saturday will be the last day at 10323 S.E. Mill Plain. On

Tuesday, the store will open across the street and to the west, at what used to be a television repair shop.

The move was prompted by the city’s plans to relieve congestion along that stretch of the major east-west arterial.

“We just decided to go, and be proactive,” Debuse said. She’d been hearing rumors for months about the city’s plans, and her landlord told her the future was uncertain. She’d seen a city map showing an extension of 104th Avenue, south of Mill Plain, that would have wiped out her parking lot.

“I’ve got 15 to 20 years left of cutting,” said Debuse, who used to bring her husband and son in for flattops before becoming trained and getting hired; she bought the business in 2006. “Big Rick” Conn, who stands six-foot-five, switched professions after being laid off from his job as a computer technician and has worked with her for four years.

The shop, which had a different moniker the first few years, bears the names of longtime owners Bernard Zajic, who retired in 2006, and Rolland Mayberry, who left in 2011.

Client Troy Olson, who came in Wednesday to get his flattop trimmed, said he’s been getting his hair cut at Bernie & Rollies since he was a fifth grader at Sifton Elementary School. His high-maintenance style requires trims every two to three weeks and he travels a lot, so he does visit other barbers.

“Then I come here and have them fix it,” said Olson, settled into Big Rick’s chair.

Federal safety grants

Loretta Callahan, spokeswoman for the city’s public works department, said the city has not yet begun designing final plans to improve Mill Plain from 104th Avenue to Chkalov Drive. Early conceptual layouts showed potential for impacting businesses along the south side of Mill Plain between 104th and 107th avenues, but other options have been discussed.

“We are at a very early stage in the project,” she said.

The project, listed in the city’s recently adopted 2014-2019 Transportation Improvement Program, was briefly discussed during a city council workshop last month but the city has not bought any rights of way or private property.

Callahan said the goal will be enhancing safety and reducing congestion and delays along the Mill Plain corridor. The work will be primarily funded by federal grants.

The city has received a $2.18 million safety grant, which did not require local matching funds, and a $2 million Surface Transportation Program grant, which requires a 13.5 percent match. The local share will come from previously collected developer fees and a one-time local distribution related to state liquor changes, Callahan said.

Callahan said that section of Mill Plain has the highest volume of traffic in the city.

“The signalized intersections at Southeast 104th and 105th avenues have significant operational challenges due to close spacing, which, combined with traffic volumes, limits the city’s options for decreasing congestion and enhancing safety through signal timing alone,” she said.

She said the focus includes modifying onramps to Interstate 205, including extending the southbound ramp to let freeway-bound vehicles get out of the way of vehicles continuing east on Mill Plain and extending the left-turn lane to the northbound I-205 ramp for the same reason.

The city will be working with the state Department of Transportation, school districts, PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center, local neighborhood associations and surrounding commercial property owners.

Public outreach will likely start late this year, Callahan said, and the city will determine what, if any, property needs to be acquired after all federal requirements have been met and the design process is about 60 to 75 percent complete.

Under the current estimate, construction isn’t expected to start until 2015 and the work wouldn’t be completed until mid-2016.

Sad to leave

While moving to the north side of Mill Plain assures that she and Big Rick don’t have to worry about the city’s plans, Debuse said she will be sad to leave the 450-square-foot room she knows so well.

The new space, at 750-square-feet, will have room for three stations, she said, and the old barber pole will be making the trip with them.

In addition to their regular customers, Big Rick and Debuse are trusted with some high-profile clients. Sheriff Garry Lucas and other officers who participate in “Mustache March” every year to raise money for the American Cancer Society allow Conn and Debuse to do the honors when it comes time for a clean upper lip.

“The lesson is that it’s not so much the space as the humans in it,” she said. “We have the best customers.”

Stephanie Rice: 360-735-4508 or stephanie.rice@columbian.com.