Park & Go

When customers meet Max Starcic for the first time they learn two things very quickly. The first is that his slight accent hints at his New York roots, and the second is that he has a deep-seeded passion for his profession.

“When I was a kid, I always enjoyed going to a barber shop to get my haircut. Barbering is kind of a social club; I’ve been doing it professionally since I was a teenager, and I just really like working with people.”

After serving in the military and working at a few different barber shops in New York, Starcic, owner of Capitol City Barber Shop, moved to Nebraska in 2006 to be closer to his daughter that lives in Omaha.

In 2007, he saw the opportunity to open up his barber shop on 13th street between L and K Streets, and took it. In 2009, the shop closed temporarily while the building was being sold by the owners, but reopened in September of 2010.

Max, who’s trained in both cosmetology and barbering, says that while his shop mainly caters to men, he does offer a few services for women as well.

When he opened the store, Max says his aim was to give the shop an “old-time atmosphere with modern-day services” which would allow customers to go back in time and enjoy the ambience and services that are reminiscent of traditional barber shops.

Among some of the things that give Capitol City Barber Shop its vintage feel are a couple of barber chairs from 1904 Max bought at an antique store.

“And they still work!” he says with a laugh. 

One of the big draws to the barber shop has been the straight razor shaves that they offer.

“I don’t know of any shop in Lincoln that does a straight razor shave, but I think that’s something that’s coming back. It seems to be most popular with the younger guys that have never had one done before. Along with the hot towel, it’s a very relaxing process.”

Working alongside Max is David Kreifels, a Lincoln native who has been cutting hair for over thirty years and whose uncles once owned Gene-O’s Barbershop and The Straight Edge Barbershop in Lincoln. The two barbers met through the recommendation of Greg Howard, co-owner of the College of Hair Design.

“Max and I are both pretty traditional barbers,” David says. “A lot of scissor and clipper work; that’s kind of our forte. We’re also a good combination of conversation and being pretty Average Joes. We get along with a lot of different types of people.”

David, who has owned a few of his own shops outside of town, says that while it takes years of technical experience to become master barbers like he and Max, the profession also requires learning how to become a great listener.

David Kriefels

“We try not to input too much; we’re just listening. There is an unwritten code of ethics among barbers that we don’t share with others what a customer tells us, but you’d be surprised what people tell a barber,” he says with a laugh.

Max and David say they are looking forward to the aesthetic updates they’re going to do to the shop which will include reorganizing the storefront window and setting up a barber pole light outside. Eventually, the two say they’d also like to add a third barber into the mix.

With an atmosphere that encapsulates the barbershop culture of the mid 1900’s and two barbers who have over half a century of combined barbering experience, Capitol City Barbershop offers friendly and down-to-earth service with all the trimmings.

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Capitol City Barber Shop is open for walk-ins or appointments on Monday thru Friday from 10:00am to 6:00pm, and on Saturday from 10:00am to 3:00pm

Capitol City Barber Shop
427 S. 13th St.
402.438.0015
[plenty of street parking]
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Visit Capitol City Barber Shop on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/capitolcitybarber.lincoln