New barbershop opens in town

Guys and gals have a new place to get a trim, style or even a hot shave, as Kristen Monasmith opened the doors of Smoking Waters Barber Shop. She officially opened her current spot at 316 Broadway, No. 3 on June 18, though she had previously rented some space from Twisted Mane Salon and Spa starting on May 2.

She decided to open a barber shop because she had been doing hair for a while and kept hearing people wanted a barber shop. Her husband, Raymond, is the junior vice commander for VFW Post No. 281, and he'd come home from monthly meetings, where there was more talk of needing a barber.

"It was really his idea," she said, though she wasn't a barber so the idea began as her doing walk-in haircuts. However, he said there was really a need for a place with hot shaves. Though a cosmetologist, Kristen wasn't licensed to do anything with a straight razor.

She started looking further into it, and found out Wyoming offers a crossover program for licensed cosmetologists. It has reduced hours from the normal barber school, and after 150 hours one is qualified to take the state exam. "They know you know a lot already from having your other license. Barbers are a dying breed across the nation but especially in Wyoming. In 2017 there were less than 100 barbers and the majority of them were over 65 years old . . . that was one way to get more barbers in the state of Wyoming, offering this program."

Born in Laramie, Kristen has been doing hair as a cosmetologist for 30 years, and graduated barber school in April of 2019. Her father is a Thermopolis native, and her grandfather helped dynamite the Wind River Canyon to make the road.

Kristen further added about her shop, "I just really wanted something for the guys to come down and hang out like the old days." She encourages guys to get a cup of coffee and stop in to talk with others in town, even if they don't get a haircut. She wants a "true barber shop in the community where guys can come and not have to wait for an appointment . . . they can just walk in and get their hair cut. They can sign in on the chalkboard, then wait for the chair to be open or even go shopping and come back.

Monasmith added, "I cut anybody's hair, it doesn't matter your gender or age." Regular summer hours are noon until 7 p.m. Tuesday, and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday.