All Eyes On: Ron Allison

When customers sit down in Roy Allison's chair, they don't just get a haircut. They receive spiritual guidance, too.

Allison is the owner of Northtown Barbershop at 405 E. Northtown Road in Kirksville. Born and raised in California, Allison grew up a barber's son, sweeping the hair in his dad's shop.

"My dad used to say I sounded like Elvis, so I would get the broom and ‘do Elvis'," he said. "The patrons loved that."

At 19 years old, he followed in his father's footsteps, going to barber college, before beginning his career and moving to Kirksville in 2006. Cutting hair doesn't pay much, which embarrassed Allison at first, but he eventually realized why he chose this path — God. His strong conviction and belief in Jesus is an important part in his business, and he often talks about religion with his customers.

"I'm very Christian and bold," Allison said. "If people want to talk about Jesus, I'm more than happy to. I will put my hand on them while I'm cutting their hair and pray for them."

Being a barber means people often treat his chair like the couch in a psychiatrist's office or a stool at a bar, opening up and telling Allison intimate details about their lives. He uses this opportunity to tell them about his faith.    

"If they get too weird, right away I talk about Jesus and that shuts them off," he said. "They talk about everything, and sometimes I don't want to hear it. I'm not mean to them. I will stop them by talking about Jesus."

Not all customers are thrilled with Allison's decision to share his faith, which he says is okay. He simply changes the subject.

At home, Allison practices martial arts — he's a black belt in Shotokan Karate and Kung Fu San Soo, the only human art form of Kung Fu. He learned both in California, again taking after his father, who competed as a boxer.

He also dabbles in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He teaches his teenage sons and their friends the self defense practices. About six months ago, Austin Stroud, a young man who goes to church with the Allisons, began preparing to join the Marines, and asked Allison to teach him martial arts. Allison refused to take money for the lessons, calling it his duty to his country.

Stroud said he is grateful for everything he's learned from Allison, skills that will give him an upper hand when he joins the Marines in two years, after college. Stroud said Allison's deep faith transcends everything he does, from martial arts to haircuts, which, Stroud added, Allison is pretty good at too.

Allison's wife Kelly said that although her sons enjoy spending time with their dad learning about self defense, they won't be following in his footsteps when it comes to being a barber — they know it doesn't pay much. Still, Kelly said, her husband loves his job.

"He can't turn [his conviction] off," she said. "He doesn't have much of a filter, either, because I'm sure it's cost him some customers. He usually waits till they talk, and if they are open, he shares his own testimony. He loves them no matter what they believe, and he knows when they're hurting."