These days, not a lot of boys grow up wanting to be barbers.

But Jordan Ellis did.

“Ever since I was like 7, I was styling my hair differently, acting like I was a barber,” the Brownstown native said. “It’s what I’ve always wanted to do, but I didn’t know you could make a decent living doing it.”

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When he was 19, he started cutting his own hair, and then ended up getting his friends to let him cut their hair, too.

What Ellis, now 24, didn’t know until later on in life, though, was that his great-great-grandfather, William “Bill” Ermer Ellis, had been a barber, running his own shop in a shotgun house on East Second Street in Seymour. Bill continued to cut hair up until his death in 1984, Jordan said.

Jordan knew he was meant to be a barber when he learned of his family history.

“I had no idea,” he said. “But when I found out, I thought it was really cool.”

That history is still alive today, as he uses the same 1940 barbershop chair that his great-great-grandpa used in his shop. Bill’s son and grandson kept the chair and were happy to pass it down to Jordan. He also still has the white barbershop smock Bill wore.

“It gives me goosebumps and adds a lot of sentimental value,” Jordan said of the chair. “I like that I can keep it in the family, and maybe one day, one of my kids or grandkids will want to become a barber, and I can pass it down to them. “

Jordan graduated from Brownstown Central High School in 2013. To start saving money, he took a job at Walmart Distribution Center and quickly learned working in a warehouse wasn’t what he wanted to do, even though it was good money.

“I’ve always been a people person,” he said. “I ended up losing my job there after two years, which I thought was the worst thing that could happen to me, but it ended up being a blessing.”

That’s because it allowed him to pursue a career as a barber.

Being a man of strong faith, Jordan said he now feels as if he’s following the plan God has always had for him.

“Before I’m a barber, I’m a Christian,” he said.

He started attending the International Barber Academy in Columbus in April 2017 and just recently graduated after putting in 1,500 hours, or nearly a year, of study. He is now working Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays at Simply Chic Beauty and Wednesdays and Saturdays at Rudy & Dick’s Barber Shop, both in Seymour.

It was at Rudy & Dick’s where Jordan got his first haircut when he was just 1.

“So I’ve kind of come full circle,” he said. “It’s great working over there. They are good Christian people, and they’ve taught me a lot.”

The profession allows him to set his own schedule and work as many hours as he wants, which right now is a lot, as he is just starting out and building his client base.

“Six days a week. I’m putting in 70 hours,” he said. “But what you put in is what you get out.”

He has dreams of starting his own barbershop in the future, complete with a red, white and blue pole outside.

Jordan is relying on word of mouth along with his business cards and social media to get the word out that he is open for business and accepting walk-in clients.

Each customer is different and deserves the time and attention it requires to give them the cut and style they want, from bald fade to pompadours.

“I take my time because I genuinely care what they look like whenever they leave,” he said of clients. “I envision maybe making their day a little bit better.”

One service Jordan likes to provide to his customers is a hot towel shave because it’s a way for men to pamper themselves a little.

“It’s not an everyday thing,” he said. “Maybe if you’re going out to a nice event or to start the weekend off right.”

His favorite part of being a barber is the satisfaction he feels when a customer is happy with the way they look.

“I love whenever I turn them to the mirror and they get that like ‘Wow’ look on their face,” he said. “That is the best thing, the best feeling ever.”

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Name: Jordan Ellis

Age: 23

Hometown: Brownstown

Occupation: Barber

Education: 2013 graduate of Brownstown Central High School; 2018 graduate of the International Barber Academy in Columbus

Employment: Currently works Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays at Simply Chic Beauty and Wednesdays and Saturdays at Rudy & Dick’s Barber Shop, both in Seymour.

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