In Business: Central Barber Shop in Little Falls Offering Classic & Modern Cuts

One barbershop in Little Falls is doing its best to clean up the appearances of patrons.

Central Barber Shop aims to pair a classic barbershop vibe with a warm ambience as its customers step into what is the oldest building in Little Falls.

“A lot of it’s the relationships you form with people,” said Todd Ackerman, a barber at Central Barber Shop and the former owner of the business. “Some of these folks, I’ve been cutting their hair for over 30 years, so if there’s a birthday or a funeral or a wedding in your family, you get a haircut for it. So you kind of get to know people really well.”

The barbers hail from over the globe, whether from two hours south in the Twin Cities or across the Atlantic Ocean in Sierra Leone, and all of them are skilled in their own right.

“I’m from Africa,” said Central Barber Shop barber Yusuf Kemokai. “Back home, we use a blade with a comb. It’s way different than using the clippers and stuff. So, it was a bit different for me.”

“I’m from north of the Cities,” added owner and barber Riley Rinas. “Down there, I feel the barbershop feel is totally different. It’s more for just types of fades and tapers and that—so, coming and bringing some of those kind of haircuts up here.”

Whether customers are looking for a timeless haircut, a modern style, or a clean shave, Central Barber Shop’s barbers work to serve any personalized need.

“We’ve always had the traditional taper haircuts, but the style kind of fluctuates between long styles and short styles—the mullet, the bowl cut,” elaborated Ackerman. “The biggest challenge in this business is trying to figure out how people want their hair cut. And that’s what we try to do, we try to talk to people, listen.”

The shop says its customer satisfaction is at the heart of its mission, along with creating a friendly and relaxed atmosphere, adhering to attention to detail, and having a commitment to quality.

“The barber industry, you have to have a passion for it. If you don’t have passion for it, don’t go into it,” stated Kemokai. “Wake up in the morning, come to work, make people smile, make them look good. That’s a privilege, I love that.”