Chet's in Joliet celebrates 60 years

JOLIET – Chet Rutkowski “got some static” for where he chose to open his barber shop.

“Jefferson Street was one lane in each direction and there were only two businesses – Honiotes Grocery and Rooney’s Corner Gas Station – to the west of here,” Rutkowski recalled. “It turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made.”

Development followed, and 60 years later, Chet’s Hair Studio is in the center of the corridor between the West Side and downtown Joliet.

Although Rutkowski retired many years ago, the business remains in operation at 1212 W. Jefferson St. because of his son Steve. The Rutkowski family will mark their 60th anniversary with a party for clients and former employees from 1 to 4 p.m. Dec. 7.

“We’re celebrating on the seventh, though the actual opening day was Dec. 13, 1954. I was going through a drawer years ago and found a laminated dollar bill with the date written on it,” Steve Rutkowski said.

“The guy who sold the property wanted to be the first customer. The contractor who built the building wanted to be the first customer. The Chamber [of Commerce] president wanted ... I said, ‘Of course.’ I told all of them they were the first customer. None of them were,” Chet admitted.

At the time, haircuts cost 85 cents.

Chet Rutkowski grew up in Joliet and served in the Navy during World War II. He needed a job after coming back from the Pacific.

Chet’s was the typical barber shop, with four chairs and a bench for waiting, during the first 17 years of operation. The only women to come in were moms with sons. Chet remembers when the Beatles’ popularity started making longer hair acceptable for men. As society changed, so did styles.

“My father had been the ‘old school’ barber, but he went back to school to learn how to style women’s hair,” Steve said. “I think that’s the most important lesson I’ve learned from him – the importance of staying current, staying on top of trends.”

Steve began styling hair in 1979 but said he was not pressured to join the family business. Neither was his sister, Cyndi Karges, who “has never had any interest in hair.”

But shortly after Chet’s retirement, Cyndi started a massage therapy business, which Steve realized would be a good fit at the salon.

The business is now officially Chet’s Hair Studio and Kneaded Relief Therapeutic Massage. Steve employs five hairdressers.

“I’ve built my own [base of] clients, but it’s always going to be known as ‘Chet’s,’” Steve said.

“They do a good job. I wasn’t concerned about keeping my name on it,” Chet laughed.