Barber Shop • Built ca. 1880s
Elftman Barbershop
Built in the 1880s in Grand Island, this building housed a variety of businesses over the years. Today, it represents a turn-of-the-century barbershop, featuring original artifacts from Frank Elftman’s shop in Ravenna, Nebraska, which opened in 1908.
Frank Elftman giving a haircut, ca. 1955
What Did Barbers Do?
Barbers provided haircuts and shaves, but their shops were much more than places for grooming—they were important social hubs. Customers gathered to share news, swap stories, and enjoy conversation. 
In earlier times, barbers even performed minor medical procedures, as both trades required steady hands and precision. The familiar red-and-white barber pole reflects this history: red symbolizing blood and white representing bandages from the once-common practice of bloodletting.
A visit to the barbershop in the 1890s was a full sensory experience, with the scent of cigar smoke mixing with hair tonic and bay rum soap. Shaves were a staple service, with lather applied by brush before a careful straight-razor shave. Many regulars even kept their own shaving mugs at the shop.
What Did It Cost?
At Elftman’s Barbershop, a haircut cost 25 cents and included a shampoo. Hair was trimmed using hand clippers and scissors.
For another 25 cents, customers could enjoy a hot bath—often taken in a tub at the back of the shop. Staying clean and well-groomed was especially important for Sunday church or a Saturday night dance.
The Goodchild Brothers
Among Grand Island’s notable barbers were brothers Wilford and Tommy Goodchild. Wilford is remembered as the first Black barber in the community. After his death, Tommy continued the business, expanding and improving the shop through skill and hard work.
Tommy was known for speaking fluent Low German, allowing him to connect with many local German immigrants. In 1879, the Grand Island Times praised his shop as “one of the neatest and most complete barbershops in the state.”
Beyond his work, Tommy was a volunteer firefighter and a respected member of the community. His sudden death from tuberculosis in 1892 was widely mourned. The Grand Island Independent remembered him as a man of integrity, goodwill, and strong character. 
Tip: You can learn more about Tommy Goodchild on the second floor of the Stuhr Building.