By Julia Cooper

Joe Hu/town crier Barbers Gene Sewell and Tom Nguyen give haircuts to Bob Grimm and John MacGowan. Sewell sold the barbershop to Nguyen last month.

After 50 years in the haircutting business, Gene Sewell is finally ready to put away his clippers.

“It’s been a good life, but it’s time to move on and not have to get up to go to work,” Sewell said with a smile.

As owner and stylist of the Los Altos haircutting institution Rancho Barber Shop, Sewell provided his customers with the kind of service that kept them coming back through the decades. Entering retirement prodded Sewell, along with co-owner Jerry Mendez, to sell the shop last month.

John MacGowan, who has been getting monthly haircuts at Rancho for more than 30 years, said he always comes back because of the quality and convenience of service.

“They honor my presence,” MacGowan said. “It’s a place I know I can count on to get a haircut.”

Barbershops are more than haircutting facilities; they are gathering spots for the community to chat about the local goings-on. Sewell said the people he has met over the years is what he’ll miss most.

“We get to know a lot about our customers and they get to know a lot about us,” Sewell said. “I’ll miss my friends.”

“And your friends are going to miss you,” said 25-year customer Bob Grimm.

Sewell first owned the shop in Loyola Corners before moving to the Rancho Shopping Center 25 years ago. Before moving to a horse ranch in Mariposa, Sewell will continue cutting hair until customers transition to new owner Tom Nguyen.

Nguyen, a Milpitas resident who has 30 years’ experience cutting hair, said the transition of ownership has been smooth and no changes are planned for the business.

“We’ll continue doing the best haircuts to make people happy,” Nguyen said.

The Rancho Barber Shop is located at 662 Rancho Shopping Center, Los Altos. For more information, call 948-6559.