Baby’s first hair cut is one of Monty’s last

Courtesy photo: Bethany Kohoutek

8-month-old Strummer Boone receives his first haircut at Monty’s Barber Shop on Saturday. Monty Brown was celebrating his final day working after more than 40 years as a barber.

Katherine Klingseis

On Monty Brown’s last day as a barber, he gave Strummer Boone his first haircut. 

“We thought it would be appropriate for Monty to give Strummer his first hair cut,” said Bethany Kohoutek, Strummer’s mom and a 2003 ISU graduate. “[Strummer] was born with a mullet, so I was more than happy to have Monty cut it.”

Boonie, Strummer’s dad and Kohoutek’s husband, started going to Monty’s Barber Shop as an ISU freshmen. 

“Boonie has not gone to another barber for ten years,” Kohoutek said. “When we heard Monty was retiring, [Boonie] knew he wanted to be there.”

Over the years, Monty has cut Boonie’s hair in many interesting ways, Kohoutek said. 

“One time, Boonie had been gone the entire day, and I had not seen him,” Kohoutek said. “When I woke up [the next morning], he had a mohawk.”

Although Kohoutek said she is unsure if Strummer will share his father’s taste in odd hairstyles, she did say that Strummer seemed quite comfortable in the barber chair.

“He thought it was hilarious,” Kohoutek said. “He was laughing the whole time.”