New hotel managers, new owners, new renovations, new business model, but the same old barber. George the Barber gets to finally say he has been in business, always in one location, for 50 years, even though it took 52 to do it.
George Blanis was set to achieve the milestone back in 2014 but before the calendar took him over that timeline, a new owner assumed control of the Days Inn (formerly known as the Simon Fraser Hotel), closed it for renovations, and evicted all businesses within the hotel's footprint.
However, after the renovations were only partially conducted, the deal fell through. The title reverted back to original owners Nishin Kanko of Japan, but instead of opening the place again they immediately put the gutted structure back on the market.
It was finally picked up by Vancouver businessman Henry Wong with the help of Prince George real estate agent Eddie Kam acting as local manager in the readying of the hotel to once again host guests.
That work is now complete. The doors open on the new Days Inn on April 1. Back in his familiar shop will be George the Barber.
"I'll be there. I'll be there," said Blanis through an impish grin and his trademark thick Greek accent.
"I opened in August of 1964. I'll get to have my 50 years."
He even got back almost all of his old equipment, like his venerable chair that has couched the forms of judges, politicians, industry millionaires, NHL players, and the breadth of Prince George society from all walks of life.
"Prince George was 12,000 people population," said Blanis about the day he opened.
"It's a different city, a different world, but I still have the people come to sit in my chair. Last week I was in, getting things ready, setting up shop, and I had to cut five people's hair. I wasn't even open. The hotel is not open. But people found out I was here. I'm not going to say no. It's my life's business."
Kam knew that Blanis was more than just a business, more than just a barber among barbers. When the arrangements to reopen the hotel finally got traction, one of his priorities was getting George the Barber back from his reluctant retirement.
"He's a good guy, so we wanted him to stay," Kam said.
"He is really friendly, everyone in the whole city knows George. We wanted to work with him together."
He's not a rookie, though. He is at a stage in is life where he cannot bear to stop barbering, but he doesn't want to be the sole person involved in the work.
Cindy Morrison couldn't believe her luck.
She was a veteran herself, with more than 30 years of experience in the industry, but all of it in Nanaimo and Prince Rupert.
She moved to Prince George three years ago and hadn't quite gotten the right snips in the community. Then Blanis came calling.
"When first moved to town I asked about the local barber industry and the first name anyone told me was George," she said.
Now she will set up the chair beside this legend. Morrison will be there six days per week, with Blanis there with her on a semi-regular basis.
"I was trained by Gus Papaloukas of Victoria, he owned the barber shop I worked at in Prince Rupert as well, and I don't know if it's because he was one of those old-school barbers or if it's because he was from Greece, too, and moved to Canada to be a barber, but also Gus knew George," Morrison said.
"It is awesome to get to share George's business. I feel privileged, to be honest."
"I didn't hesitate. When they called to ask me if I wanted to come back, yes, absolutely, I'm a barber, what can I do?," Blanis said.
"Having Cindy is going to help me so much. It's too much for me all by myself, but now I get to be a barber as long as I can."
The official 50-year milestone will be crossed the second he turns the sign to "open" on April 1, but he wants August to be a special time, because it was that month, in 1964, when he first cut his ribbon and his first locks of hair, so he has more milestones to reach and he won't let anything cut his celebration short.
