Ron the Barber Closes Shop, But Isn’t Retiring Yet
In honour of the 12 Days of christmas, we’re taking a stroll back through the stories we’ve published this year about some amazing people in our community. Each day for the 12 days of Christmas (Dec. 25 too Jan. 5), we’ll revisit one (or more) of our favorite people from 2025.
Up today, it’s Ron Waugh, a.k.a Ron the Barber, a Cloverdale fixture who was forced to close his barbershop on Sept. 3. Fortunately for his loyal clientele, ron decided to keep up his work making house calls, and he was eyeing a possible chair at a barbershop in clayton Heights. Watch for more Ron the Barber updates in 2026.
This story was originally published on Aug. 27, 2025.
The reports of Ron the Barber’s demise have been greatly exaggerated over the years. Once every six months, a rumour surfaces that Ron’s closing his shop, or that he’s being forced to move out.
Sadly, this time, the rumours are true. ron Waugh is closing his barbershop-Ron’s Barber Stylists-sept.3.
“The owner is going to renovate,” said Ron.
His lease is up and the space will be upgraded with some much-needed renos-something that hasn’t been done in decades.
Ron’s is a unique spot to get a trim. The building he’s in is more than 100 years old. Ron’s floor is slanted. the walls and flooring might be from the ’60s. The shop is heavy with layers of smoke pressed over time.A TV plays old Westerns. And the place is stacked with sports collectibles and souvenirs.
A huge maple Leafs fan, Ron’s sports memorabilia has piled up as he opened. Posters, books, signed pictures, hockey sticks, pucks, mini-Stanley Cups-you name it. He has a signed picture of Johnny Bower that he received from a family friend, but the rest of the items have been given to him by customers over half a century.
Ron even has a pint glass that says “Cloverdale Ale Company” on it. But it’s not from a long-closed local brew pub.A customer visited Cloverdale, Calif., and brought it back for him.
He would like to stay after the renos. Though, for Ron, and his one-man operation, the increase in rent will be too much for him to afford.
“I’m looking for a chair in the local area,” he told the Cloverdale Reporter. He added he’s already been to five, but no luck. “I have a couple more I’m going to. If I have to, I can even go to Langley.”
He wants to stay local though. He’s got a lot of customers here.
A staple on