He has been skillfully wielding a razor and scissors for about forty years. The last ten in the center of our hundred-year-old mother, which became his home. Kraig Casebier (62), an American barber in Prague, not only pampers Czech guys, but also offers his life story on request, which does not compare to a Hollywood blockbuster.

At the outset, it is probably good to remember that the English term barber means nothing else than ‘barber’. Barber Shop is a barber shop. But the ones where guys can let themselves be 100% pampered, they will find a stylish environment, often a bar with selected drinks – for example, excellent whiskey. In short, the Barber Shop is a place where men can let each other take care of themselves and really enjoy it. At least you come here once in a while, just like I did when I took a tip and entered the legendary American Barber In Prague (American barber in Prague) in Prague’s Smíchov near the Vltava.

In addition to the spicy and woody aromas reminiscent of cigars, I was struck by the atmosphere of an American establishment of past decades, perhaps the 1950s. The owner Kraig Casebier (62), the ‘American in Prague’, took me to the show. After leaving his native Kentucky and traveling the world, he has been living in our metropolis for almost 10 years. But he hasn’t learned Czech yet. “I was here for the first time in 1992, when the host’s neighbor showed me around the city and introduced me to many aspects of Czech life. In the evenings we talked and drank Moravian wine. You cannot forget such an introduction to Bohemia and to Prague,” Kraig told me when skillfully mixed shaving cream on my head. “This is the place I call home.

“Czechs are wonderful, I find them open, friendly and modest,” he continued as he began to shave me clean with a classic razor. He also told that he always wanted to be a barber. Not to mention, the profession has been passed down in the family since 1914. During the procedure, I also asked Kraig about the book, which he offers in English and Czech in the company, and which is also on the bookstore shelves. He wrote it himself – about his adventures, travels, life’s somersaults. “I talk about good and bad in it. Many people were interested in my story because of the decision to start a new life in a new country at the age of almost 50. But it was the best thing I ever did,” he believes.

Kraig Casebier became a barber celebrity, not only in Prague. • At Christmas, Kraig’s friends are clear – who else could stand in for Santa Claus better than him? • It’s good at Kraig’s barbershop: you’ll get grooming and incredible stories from Kraig’s life. (Photo: Tonda Tran / Lightning, Kraig Casebier)

While he lives his Czech dream, the men in his chair sometimes ask how they could realize the American dream. “It’s not what you see on TV and in the movies. If you want to experience it, do a lot of research first to learn what life in the US really is, not what it could be,” Kraig advises them. “It’s always good to follow your dream, but it rarely goes exactly as planned.” But now my head is shaved, my beard is trimmed, in addition to the experience, I’m also taking away Kraig’s book and I’m looking forward to all its chapters. My last question is what does the term barber actually mean to a guy who takes care of other people for a living.“Barber Shop is all about personal stories and conversation. Clients become friends. Sometimes they might just want to relax, but most of them like the atmosphere here,” he replied. And I have no choice but to confirm his words.

A book as a life jukebox

The book American Barber in Prague tells the story of how Kraig studied the profession in his father’s and grandfather’s barber shops in Kentucky and at one of the world’s leading academies until he was named one of the best barbers in Europe by the Barbers Quarterly magazine. But he also tells emotional stories about the women who have passed through his life. About bipolar disorder, which entered him uninvited. It is a fascinating story about an exceptional fate that continues in Prague. Moreover, it is a book that sounds. The individual parts are supplemented with so-called QR codes, after reading them with a smartphone, the song that is essential for Kraig at the given moment will be heard. Their names and playlist are not missing, so any reader can discover them. And discovering Kraig Casebier is worth it!

Created for Sunday Aha!, 3/26/2023.
Article By Ivan Dachs Hladik