By Laney Halsey
Contributing Writer
SHREWSBURY — Every Saturday, the chairs at Ken’s Barbershop in Shrewsbury’s Edgemere neighborhood were full. Jazz music hummed in the background as barber Ken Jordan chatted with customers.
But after 64 years of haircuts, Ken’s is now officially closed for good. It’s more than just a locked door – it’s the end of an era in Edgemere.
Growing up, Jordan would hang out at the neighborhood barbershop, and at 20 years old, he started cutting hair. He worked in Worcester for a few years before setting up shop along Route 20 in 1962. The rest is history.
“All these years that I’ve been running my own shop, not one time did I feel like I’m going to work,” Jordan said. “That’s how much I always liked it.”
Although he lives in Worcester, Jordan was so close to Shrewsbury that he’d often joke he could walk to work. For nearly 30 years, he did.
Jordan cut hair for generations of families — grandparents, parents, children. Customers would return and tell him, “You cut my hair when I came in with my grandfather.”
“A lot of the people that moved away from here used to come around the neighborhood,” Jordan said. “They were curious to check and see if I was just still alive. I got a kick out of that, and it was always nice to see them.”
Beyond cutting hair, Jordan remains a fundamental part of the neighborhood because of his care for the community.
“Some people would get sick, and I’d always cut their hair,” Jordan said. “I would go to their house and cut their hair, and after a few months, they’d be healthy and able to walk back in. That’s what I enjoy, helping them when they couldn’t come in.”
On November 22 of last year, customers organized a tribute to Ken’s Barbershop. All day, people came by and signed cards: “I knew a lot of people liked me, but I didn’t know they liked me this much,” Jordan said.
The event was organized by Joe Gabriella, a Shrewsbury native and Jordan’s longtime friend.
“I can’t tell you how many people thanked me profusely for organizing this, so they got their chance to say a little something to Ken and write something,” Gabriella said. “It filled my heart, not only for him, but what a nice service it was to everybody that they got to say something to him.”
Gabriella grew up across the street from Jordan’s shop and embodies the deep-rooted tradition the barbershop represents.
“I got my first haircut from him, my son got his first haircut from him, my brother got his first haircut from him,” Gabriella said, “That’s just the way it went in Edgemere. You brought your son to Ken for his first haircut. Everybody knew that.”
For Gabriella, the tradition reflects what kind of neighborhood Edgemere is — and how deeply Jordan was woven into its center.
“Edgemere’s a very tight-knit neighborhood,” Gabriella said. “And Ken’s the patriarch. … As long as he was there, he gave everybody that sense of family. If people want to emulate somebody with good family values and how to treat people, this is the guy,” Gabriella said.
While Jordan had never planned on retiring, a serious fall led to multiple brain surgeries. Despite recovering well, he no longer has the energy required to be on his feet all day.
“The worst thing about this is I’m not going to miss giving haircuts, I’m going to miss all those people,” Jordan said.
As for retirement, Jordan’s plans are to spend as much time with his wife, children, and Gabriella (his “adopted son”) as he can.
“The friendly neighborhood barber” may be putting down his clippers, but Jordan’s kindness and legacy will be forever part of the fabric of the community.
“That’s the important thing,” Jordan said. “I want to thank everybody who came through that door.”
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