Cliff's Barbershop

Jun 21, 2016
2 min read

The town I had just rolled into had an air about it. In a dry and parched land near the Manzana Mountains, Mountainair, New Mexico (elevation 6,500 ft) was smack in the middle of Spanish history, great food and flourishing art.

Spending a little extra time here was a must ... the town just wouldn't let go. There are three historic mission sites nearby dating back to the 1500s, a world class bistro and the best barbershop in the world.

Artwork in Mountainair

So let me talk about Clifford's Barber Shop for a bit. There's a shiny red Corvette parked outside the establishment and it belongs to one Clifford Chisum. His one chair shop is a first come, first served affair. There were two customers in front of me and I thought I could take a few quick pics around town before he would get around to me. He warned me I would lose my place in line -- sure enough there were now 7 people in front of me when I returned.

But no problem, I was treated to watching Cliff in action. There was talk of ranching, weather, and just about any subject under the sun while Clifford’s clipper buzzed through customer after customer. Clifford even had a piece of candy for the kids, and a drawer full of photos showing several other 50-60 vintage cars in his collection.

Clifford's calm demeanor and his patience with kids was remarkable. Clifford would visit with them, tease them a little bit, and then lift them up onto the box that fit the chair for his smaller clients. By the time their locks hit the ground, the boys were relaxed and happy, and ready for their piece of candy.

Cost of a cut? A mere $6. Holy cow, no wonder Clifford’s Barbershop is usually full. The old west charm, the great price, and no-nonsense approach is rare these days.