Natalie's Everyday Heroes: Barbershop owner Rebecca Popovic of Muskego

 

MUSKEGO, Wis. (CBS 58) -- A Muskego barber had only owned her new shop for three weeks when she had to close down because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead of letting it get her down, though, she teamed up with another business to make her community a little bit stronger.

“I knew someday that I'd be putting them in my own barbershop,” said All Star Barbers owner, Rebecca Popovic, as she held a pair of vintage electric clippers. Her shop is filled with antiques like this.

“This is actually a clipper they used before any electric clippers. So this is how they would do that,” she said, showing how it worked.

Her dad has been collecting antique barber supplies since she was in school, but her customers haven’t seen any of them yet. She’s been decorating since she closed down. Like many business owners, she didn’t know what she was going to do when the safer-at-home order went into place.

“My new employees, my brand new business, what am I going to do,” she said, when asked what went through her mind.

But her mind quickly changed gears. She thought of the memories her dad helped her make, and she came up with an idea to make new memories.

“I figured it would be nice to take the time for fathers, grandfathers, uncles, any male figure to help the young men shave,” Popovic said.

So she put together what she is calling “Shaving Buddy Kits.”

“I have the four products that would go on your face and I have them all in a row in the bag for you,” she said, showing a kit. “Shaving cream, shaving oil, moisturizer and a toner.”

Since All Star Barbers is closed, Popovic teamed up with Vintage Grounds, the coffee shop next door, that is still operating its drive-thru window. For $15, you can get one when you pick up your coffee.

“So many companies are working together around here and just to see everyone come together and create things has been awesome,” she said.

Popovic also got involved in a food drive, organized by Muskego’s new mayor, Rick Petfalski. She said she offered haircut coupons to encourage people to donate.

“There was like, 700 lbs of food, and a couple hundred dollars donated,” she said, impressed by the generosity of the people in Muskego.

And during this time that no one will forget, Popovic hopes families make memories they’ll want to keep forever.

“I'm trying to encourage it! It is important to keep your skin healthy, at any age and any gender,” she said.

Popovic said she can’t wait to reopen her shop and start cutting hair again soon.

“We can't wait to come back to work,” she said. “Cutting hair has been a passion of mine since I was a little girl, so being without it is a real struggle right now.”

She hopes to open up online appointment bookings sometime soon. For information about All Star Barbers, just CLICK HERE.

To nominate someone for Natalie’s Everyday Heroes, just send Natalie a message at [email protected].