The antique barber pole that has been hanging next to the front door of Smitty’s Barbershop (5819 15th Ave NW) for decades has been stolen.
Ava, who works next door to Smitty’s at Tigerlily Salon, posted this in the forum: “I’m sure many of you know that we recently lost Jim, the owner and head barber next door. Well, to add further insult, sometime between Sunday afternoon and Tuesday morning the antique barber pole from the front of the building was pried off and taken. It has been there since our building was constructed in the 1940’s.”
The landlord has since removed the bracket that held the pole. “I guess if anybody sees a lost-looking barber pole in their bushes or notices one at a pawn shop or yard sale, please let us know,” Ava writes.
![](https://www.myballard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024-My-Ballard-Tile-Ad-Troop-100.png")
Some hobo is no doubt trying to hawk it to pay for his beer habit.
Nothing is sacred. Nothing. Do we have to endure the morons here telling us they shouldn’t have had that pole there, and were just asking for trouble? Or is crime a real issue? I the UK people have for years had to take everything in at night, due to theft. How’s all that hope and change working for ya.
This is really a sad thing for the owner, this shop has been in the same family from the start. Smitty was the uncle of the landlord who also is a barber and it was a part of a family’s history that was taken and hopfully someone will have the heart to return it
If only the Blue Angels could buzz Ballard Commons at 3am and scare off the hobos and dope heads.
Who ever did this is a complete scumbag and you will have some bad karma coming your way.
Nothing will wake the hobos at 3am except the sound of a beer can opening.
I think the BCC did it.
What is the BCC?
Maybe this is the same person who stole the Roy McMakin “&” sign from the sculpture park.
Is it possible that someone from the family has kept it as a momento? I hope so. If not, whoever took it please think about returning it to the family in honor of the owner. Such a wonderful little old neighborhood.
“Hope and change”????? What in the world does THAT have to do with this theft?? Your comment makes no sense.