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Tucked in a small shopping plaza on W. Colorado Avenue, in Old Colorado City’s eclectic mix of businesses, is Nelson’s Barber Shop.
Mr. Boggs, a shaggy and adorable mutt, is the official greeter. I’m met by gentle licks against my hand before Mr. Boggs leans into my legs for extra attention. He is shop-owner Mike Nelson’s companion and – clearly – he helps run the place.
“I’ve spent 14 years here in this location,” Nelson explains, “and before that I spent 14 years in the Uintah Gardens shopping center” which is right down the road.
Nelson’s Barber Shop is a history buff’s dream. Within the barbershop, Nelson has collected relics from Colorado Springs and the surrounding communities including train parts and an apparatus, he says, that is left over from the Glen Eyrie Silica mine. His magazine rack offers clients a chance to brush up on history or outdoor skills while waiting for a haircut with editions of The Backwoodsman, Horseman’s Territory and Actual Archaeology.
He also displays several of his guitars – Nelson shares that playing the guitar is his first love. A shiny electric guitar lies in the empty barber’s chair next to the seat he leaves open for clients.
“I wanted to be Hank Williams when I was a little kid,” Nelson says.
However, playing music in bars late every night led to a reliance on alcohol. He proudly shares that in just a few weeks, on March 15, he will mark his 36th year of sobriety. And he still plays guitar.
Becoming a barber was a positive change both mentally and financially.
“A lot of barbers are former military barbers, “Nelson explains, “but I was actually trained in style. I cut hair for 10 years before I picked up a clipper.”
Early in his career, Nelson attended barber apprenticeship school in San Diego California. Before the apprenticeship, he attended cosmetology school in his home state of North Dakota.
Nelson shares that while most of his business is comprised of regular clientele, he has cut hair for people from almost every country. He does more men’s than women’s haircuts, explaining “I just like being able to please the customers.”
In addition to giving great haircuts, for men who want the fresh-faced look Nelson provides hot lather shaves with a straight razor – a service that many shops once provided, but few do today.
If you visit Nelson’s Barber Shop, be aware Nelson is a self-proclaimed techno phobic. He accepts payment via cash and check – and will also accept gold or silver. It would be fitting if someone did pay in gold or silver, because I’m half-ready to see Buffalo Bill Cody or Wyatt Earp saunter into the place. They would be at ease in this place that brings a feel of bygone eras into the present.
And I’m not the only one to notice this – reviews on Google, where Nelson’s Barber Shop has a 4.9-star rating, include lines like “Walk in barbershop like you remember growing up.”
In addition to old timey payment methods, you might consider bringing a dog treat or two for Mr. Boggs.
For more info or to make an appointment, the barbershop phone number is 719-291-0312 or just stop in (2812 W. Colorado Ave.).
