New owners of salons ready to carry on long legacy of style

Tuesday, March 5, 2019
Ruth and Gary Lucas, left, have sold Aphrodite Hair Design and Uncle Amos' Crop Shop to Anna and Tanner Powell. The Lucases will be retired. Anna will run the shops and Tanner will continue to farm.
Courtesy photo

McCOOK, Neb. — It just feels right. There was a lot at stake, not only the future but also a history … a legacy. But it's been a good decision.

"It takes a special person to do what Anna's going to do," Gary Lucas says. "But she and Tanner have young ideas." And, Gary added, grinning, " … along with the energy to do what Ruth and I are too old to even think about."

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Ruth and Gary Lucas have sold Aphrodite Hair Design and Uncle Amos' Crop Shop, in downtown McCook, to Anna and Tanner Powell.

Anna started training at the McCook Beauty Academy (downstairs from the salon and also owned by the Lucases at that time) in June 2011. Just three months into classes, Ruth and Gary asked Anna to work at Aphrodite when she graduated. So, Anna has worked for the Lucases at Aphrodite since her graduation, and now seven years later, she and her husband, Tanner, are buying the two salons.

"Anna is one in a million," Gary said. "We couldn't sell our place to just anyone."

Anna said that Gary approached her about buying Aphrodite two years ago. "But," she said, sharing a smile with Tanner, "We were just getting married, and the timing didn't feel right."

Gary thought about offering the salons to someone else, but he hesitated … it just wouldn't have felt right without Anna. So, he bided his time … and last year, Anna and Tanner agreed to the purchase.

The key to Gary and Ruth's good feeling about the sale? "It's Anna," Gary said.

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The Aphrodite salon was originally called "The Red Carpet" because that's the carpet and name selected by Gary's in-laws at that time, Evelyn and Collin Grubb, when they built the Professional Building and started their hair salon in 1957.

Gary bought out the Grubbs in 1964 and, in an update, he needed to remove the red carpeting.

"I changed out the carpet, so I changed the name, to Aphrodite salon," he explains.

Now, 55 years later, there's no carpeting to change, so Anna plans to retain the name and doesn't envision any major changes. "Gary and Ruth have done a wonderful job with the salon," Anna said. "I don't need to make a lot of changes."

She will add a couple new services, including airbrush makeup for special events and paraffin waxes.

The staff of stylists will remain as it is, Anna says. Gary explains that one of the secrets to the salon's success over 55 years is that there has been very little turn-over in stylists.

"We've been fortunate with our staff," Gary said. "One of our stylists has worked here for 48 years; another for 46 years. Our stylists are excited to work for Anna."

Ruth retired 2 1/2 years ago when she and Gary sold the beauty academy. With the sale of Aphrodite, now it's Gary's turn to retire. "How has this happened?" he mused recently. "I thought I was only 57 years old … "

He's balking, just a bit. "I want to keep an office here," he said. He glances at a grinning Anna, and adds jokingly, "But Anna's not giving me a key."

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Aphrodite and Uncle Amos are located at 301 E. First, on the second floor of the Professional Building at the northeast corner of East First and C streets. Enter through the west door outlined by the white porch railing.

The salon's hours are: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., until 8 p.m. on Thursday; and Saturday, from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m

Call (308) 345-5286 for appointments.

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The two couples sat around Gary's office one morning recently, reminiscing about changes in hairstyles since the 1960's.

"In '64, the style was 'a bubble and a bang'," Gary said. "It was back-combed way out to here," — Ruth motioned from the ears out — "with a little-bitty bang."

The '70's were dominated by the hairstyle of celebrities — the "shag" of blond bombshell model Farrah Fawcett, skater Dorothy Hamel's "wedge" … actor Mia's Farrow's "innocent pixie." Tight afros (and the permanents to make them so) were in demand.

In McCook, about the same time, men starting going to stylists. "When we started, there were 17 barbershops in McCook," Gary said. "But hard-core barbers didn't want to cut 'Beatle' haircuts and long styles, so younger men started needing a stylist."

"They feel comfortable coming to our Uncle Amos shop because it's separated from the women's salon," Anna said.

The 1980's was the heyday of sky-high "BIG hair — BIG bangs," and lots and lots of superhold hairspray and wet-look hair gel. Curly perms were big in the '80's.

Females seemed to rebel in the '90's, and hair went straight-arrow and parted down the middle — singer Cher's influence here.

Colors colored the early 2000's. Ruth said women used to color their hair just to cover the gray, but the 2000's ushered in Kool-Aid shades and Crayon-box colors. "Blues, reds, maroon, purples, greens … you name it," Anna said.

It appears another rebellion has reared its head since about 2010, and women are letting their hair go gray — even if it may seem prematurely gray. "And they want ashy-gray colors … especially ashy blonds," Anna said.

So, what's next? What styles, cuts, colors … can Anna and her staff expect going forward?

Anna grins, "I have no idea, but we can't wait to find out!"

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