Plaza Barber (finally) celebrates its 50th anniversary in Petaluma

The red, white and blue barber’s pole in front of Petaluma Plaza Barber Shop has been spinning for more than 50 years, since the opening of the Plaza Shopping Center in 1970 amid the burgeoning growth of Petaluma’s east side. Anita Morris, a rare female practitioner of the tonsorial arts, has clipped, sheared and shaved customers there the entire time, after convincing owner Leonard Cheever she needed a secure job and a place to establish herself as a barber.

Morris established herself so well, that thirteen years later she bought the business.

Since January she’s been celebrating the golden anniversary of her lengthy career and of saluting the shop as well. It’s the last of the Plaza’s original businesses still operating in the shopping center.

Fifty years ago, Petaluma’s east side (east of the freeway) was still in its early development. Tract housing was rapidly expanding and planners sought more retail space for this town of 24,750. The Petaluma Inn anchored the corner of East Washington Street and South McDowell Boulevard and Washington Square Shopping Center was growing. In all, Petaluma boasted 12 barbershops and 24 beauty salons.

“I was job-hunting and looking to buy a house with my husband, when we came up to Petaluma from San Rafael in 1970,” said Morris. “I’d been to secretarial school but wanted a change. I was aware that beauticians weren’t earning as much as barbers, so I became a barber.

“I kept coming back to the Plaza shop,” Morris continues. “It wasn’t even finished yet, but I wanted to work on the east side because it was growing. It was a good time to build up clientele. I didn’t have to take anyone else’s customers. If you have enough regulars, you’ll make it. If not you’ll have to move on.”

Though now no longer married, Anita and her auto mechanic husband then found Petaluma a perfect fit and purchased a new house for $19,000, where they raised their children Paul, Crystal and Carol.

“Back then, hair styles were really varied. We’d do whatever people asked for,” explained Morris. “Long hair was prominent, but if you didn’t cut long hair right the customer wouldn’t come back. Flat-tops were also popular. We kind of became ’the flat-top shop.’”

The three-chair store hasn’t changed much in 50 years. There are no TV’s and the biggest conversation piece is the G scale Lionel train set mounted high along the wall. One the shop’s 1960s barber chairs came from San Francisco, where it was used a prop in the movie “Bullitt.”

The Plaza Shopping Center has evolved considerably since its early days. It hasn’t grown in size (Plaza North Shopping Center was later added) but every storefront has changed. Walgreen’s Drugs, Graziano’s International Gourmet Shop, Radio Shack, Albertson’s Food Store and Straw Hat Pizza were among the original tenants and a large clock tower stood near the freeway. McDonald’s Restaurant came later.

“We’ve had many barbers work here over the years,” said Morris. “They come and go as they want. It’s a demanding, stand-on-your-feet-all-day job. It’s hard on the knees, back, shoulders and wrists.”

Robert Caldo has worked there 17 years. A multi-faceted artist, experienced actor, oil painter and custom woodworker, his exotic wood coffee tables, artistic boxes and furniture beautify ordinary surroundings.

“Cutting hair is my job, crafting hardwood tables is my life,” said Caldo of his precision-made black walnut and Brazilian mahogany coffee tables and inlaid chess boards. “I’ve always been in the arts.”

He had role in an Indonesian film and a small part as a prison guard in “Murder in the First,” shot on Alcatraz in 1995. The film starred Kevin Bacon and Christian Slater.

Dividing his time between the Plaza firm and his own shop in Point Reyes, Dan Morrissey has worked with Morris for 28 years.

“Anita was one of my first mentors, she’s always been wonderful to me,” he said.

A long-time practitioner of martial arts, Morrissey continued, “It’s nice to be a part of an ongoing piece of history. My shop, Point Reyes Station Barber Shop, is over 100 years old. What I like about Petaluma is, despite all the changes, it still has that country feel.”

Petaluma Plaza Barber Shop’s ongoing anniversary celebration, which continues through the year, came to a standstill in March due to the coronavirus shutdown, but has reopened under strict new guidelines.

“We opened June 6 and were extremely busy all day,” said Morris. “It was a whirlwind. We were so busy we had no time to answer the phone. It was pretty much first come, first served. It just feels really good to see everyone again.”

Among the new guidelines, chairs were moved farther apart, there are no shampoos or beard trims and a supplemental fee covers the cost of sanitizing, disposable masks, gloves and chair cloths. Ear-loop face masks are required and the shop will perform temperature screening before admitting customers.

“If we follow state guidelines, I think we’ll be okay,” said Morris, who is happily back in the groove celebrating her half-century on the job. “Everyone’s been so patient. They seem grateful to finally get a haircut.”