Aggieville Barbershop first opened its doors in 1914. A little over a century later, Julie Leon assumed ownership of the shop. Leon immigrated from Kenya to the United States, originally planning to major in entrepreneurship at K-State.
“I had a background in public relations, working in various hotels back in Kenya before moving to the U.S.,” Leon said. “But as the time went by, owning a business integrated with what I was trying to achieve in the end.”
So, instead of going to K-State, Leon went to Midwest Barber College. She graduated in October 2017 and joined the barbershop’s team a few months later. Her father-in-law worked with Jed Mosher, the salon’s previous owner, and introduced the two to each other. During her first four years at the salon, she developed a close relationship with Mosher and Phil Kuehl, who owned the salon before Mosher.
“By good luck, they needed someone because they were both looking to retire, though the transition was a bit of a challenge,” Leon said.
Kuehl and Mosher worked together for 30 years, and both had lots of knowledge to pass on to Leon. Kuehl had many prominent clients, including Bill Snyder, who got his hair cut in the shop for many years. The friendship they formed with each other and their customers set the tone for the salon’s environment.
“No woman has ever worked in the barbershop, so I was afraid I might not be welcomed, or people might be a little bit scared,” Leon said. “But Jed and Phil had a lot of faith in me.”
Kuehl in particular became a mentor figure for Leon when she faced challenges in the barbershop. As the first woman to work in the barbershop, Leon was nervous to eventually assume ownership.
“I just had to show up every day and believe in myself,” Leon said. “I had such a wonderful mentor, Phil, who made sure I was comfortable with myself before he retired after being in the shop for almost 50 years.”
Leon purchased Aggieville Barbershop from Mosher in 2021. During her time as owner, Leon has worked to establish herself as a capable and knowledgeable barber.
“It’s a male-dominated business,” Leon said. “A lot of women stylists tend to cater to women’s haircuts. … I think the biggest challenge is to make sure my clients know I can cut hair as good as my male counterparts.”
Beyond proving herself as a barber, Leon has revamped the shop’s logo and paint job while preserving its history through the original black salon chairs and 1950s-era cash register. Every detail, even its walls lined with birds and fish from its clients, reflects Aggieville Barbershop’s legacy.
Located in the heart of Aggieville, the barbershop benefits from a steady flow of college students, military personnel and other visitors in town during home football games. Leon said she takes pride in starting conversations with her customers about the barbershop’s history.
“I am very proud to be the first woman to own Aggieville Barbershop since its founding in 1914,” Leon said. “I am so grateful for the opportunity, and a big thank you to the K-State family for supporting … we don’t take it for granted.”
