KNS Radio is a big lover of history. Especially our local history in Frankfort and Clinton County. Over the next several weeks, we are going to feature some articles written by one of everybody’s local favorites, Jerry Leonard. Leonard wrote for the Frankfort Times and has been kind enough to share some of his stories on the past, present and many of the personalities that has shaped our little slice of heaven. The following was published February 26, 2020.
Kevin Keith
Owner/GM KNS Radio
8/7/2025
After 45 years of cutting hair, Jeff Cox is hanging up his clippers. Next month, he’ll retire from the Washington Barber Shop — a place that’s been a fixture in Frankfort for over a century. It’s hard to imagine the shop without Jeff, and it’s even harder to imagine Frankfort without the shop.
To honor its history, Jeff recently put up two display boards inside the shop, tracing the journey from its original owner, John Darling, all the way to today. There are vintage newspaper clippings, ads, and personal snapshots — including one especially dear to him: photos of his grandchildren getting their very first haircuts.
Digging into the shop’s history, Jeff discovered that John Darling opened his first location on North Main Street under the name “Big 4.” In 1899, he moved to 10 West Washington and rebranded it as the Washington Barber Shop. Then in 1922, it found a new home at 206 East Washington Street, where it stayed for 90 years until its most recent move in 2012. For a time, John ran the shop with his son, Leo.
When World War II ended, Estill Rule returned home from the Navy and purchased the shop from Darling in 1946. Over the decades, several barbers left their mark there — Red Nagel, Carl Gable, Ray Jacobs, Wilbur Garrison — all familiar names to longtime customers. Eventually, Estill partnered with Dale Reppert in the late ’50s. Estill worked there for 55 years before retiring, and his successor, John Taylor, stayed for 28 years until his own retirement just three years ago.
“Estill loved gardening,” Jeff remembers. “The plants that are still in the shop today? He brought those in back in the ’70s.”
Dale Reppert’s path to the shop was shaped by three years in the Coast Guard, followed by barber school in Indianapolis. “He was great at flattops — really popular when he started out,” Jeff said. Dale retired after 42 years.
There are little traditions that made the shop more than just a place for a trim. One of them started in 1957 — giving out peanuts in the shell at Christmastime. Jeff kept that tradition alive every year. Customers remember the small things, like the elk’s head mounted on the wall at the old East Washington location. It was part barbershop, part gathering place.
Jeff laughed when he shared an old story: Estill’s wife, Francis, had a beauty salon in the back of the barber shop. A thin partition separated the two, but when the ladies were under the dryers, they’d talk loudly — mostly gossip. “Estill would have to ask Francis to quiet them down because the men in the front could hear it all.” Of course, that gossip rarely made it past the walls.
That sense of community never really changed. “There were a lot of loafers when I started,” Jeff said. “Businessmen would stop by just to chat. People still share stories today — maybe even a little gossip — while they wait for their cut.”
With the rise of modern barbershops and hair salons offering trendy styles and intricate designs, places like Washington Barber Shop have become rare. Jeff knows it’s a different world now, but he sees a glimmer of the old ways making a comeback in big cities.
“I’ve watched styles come and go. Everything cycles — short hair, mullets, they all come back,” he said.
The shop’s final move to 315 Kentwood Drive in 2012 came after construction on Washington Street made customer parking nearly impossible. It was a practical decision, but one that allowed Jeff to keep the tradition alive a little longer.
Now, as he prepares to retire, Jeff is looking forward to life beyond the barber chair. He and his wife, Kathy, are planning to travel and spend more time with their grandchildren. But the shop — and the people — will always hold a special place in his heart.
“I’ve made a lot of great friends here. I’ve loved hearing people’s stories over the years. The families, the generations — grandfathers, fathers, sons, all getting their hair cut here. That’s what I’ll miss the most.”
As he reflected on his career, Jeff added, “Barbering has been a good life for me. I’m proud of the work I’ve done and the people I’ve met. I’ve been very satisfied doing this job. I’ve enjoyed working in Frankfort.”
April 27th will be his final day at the shop. But the legacy — of community, tradition, and craftsmanship — will carry on.