By Helina Bailey
“Once a Marine, always a Marine, right?” I asked the new barber at Janet’s Hair Salon. Eli Mikos sat across from his vintage barber chair and humbly responded, “Well, yeah.”
Though he sports a well-groomed beard, his clean face and mannerisms make it easy to tell that he once wore fatigues (or cammies).
This small-town barber was tight-lipped when it came to discussing his time in service, but in his nearly five years as an enlisted marine, he traveled the world. He was stationed at 29 Palms in San Diego, California, but his service took him to multiple states, including Alaska. He was also sent as far as Australia and once had a pit stop in Japan.
So, how is it that such a well-traveled and cultured young man should end up in Maynardville, planting roots as a local barber? Well, despite having explored some large and foreign metropolises, Eli was a small-town boy.
Before enlisting in the service, Eli was a Corryton local. After traveling the globe, he realized, “There’s no place like home.” When it came time to settle down after completing his military contract, it was natural that he should come back to Union County.
According to Eli, nowhere compares to Tennessee.
“After traveling the world, I can honestly say there’s no place like home. Of all the places I have been to, Tennessee ranks number one for me, especially when it comes to the people and our Southern hospitality.”
For that reason, Eli wanted to set up shop back in Union County.
In order to prepare himself for the transition back into civilian life, Eli began thinking about his future career. With his father, Ronnie Beeler, having been barber for years, and his great-grandfather having been a master barber, this seemed like a worthwhile family tradition to pursue.
As a forward thinker, Eli began taking barber courses while still active duty in California. Once he was honorably discharged from service, he moved back to Union County and used a portion of his GI bill to attend Sanderella Hair Academy in Tazewell, where he finished his Master Barber license in 2022.
If you are in need of a fresh cut, a new style, or a clean shave, Eli can take care of you. You will find his immaculate barber station directly to the right when you walk into Janet’s Hair Salon.
He offers an array of barber services for men, although he has a couple of female patrons who sport short cuts. He is on duty Mon/Wed/Thu/Fri from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesdays from noon to 6 p.m., and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. He accepts walk-ins, but the best way to ensure you are not waiting is to book an appointment.
Janet’s Hair Salon is located at 3625 Maynardville Highway, in Maynardville. You can book over the phone by calling the salon at (865) 992-4604. You can also find them on Facebook.
Thank you for your service, Eli Mikos, and welcome home!