For many people, a haircut is another errand to squeeze between work, errands, and dinner. But step inside W & M Barber Co. in Springville, and it’s clear that’s not how Bill McMillan sees it.
There are fresh fades, clean beard trims and the unmistakable scent of shaving cream. Clippers hum in the background while conversations drift easily from weekend plans to family stories. But according to McMillan, the real work happening in a barbershop has as much to do with people as it does with hair.
“A barber is more than just a guy who cuts your hair,” he said. “He becomes a friend. He’s a style coach. He’s there for many big events in your life.”
That philosophy has helped shape W & M Barber Co. into more than a place for men’s grooming. It’s become a gathering place where customers know they’ll be welcomed by name, enjoy a consistent experience and, if they need to, unload whatever’s weighing on them.
For five years, McMillan worked in information technology before realizing he wanted a different path. His inspiration came from an unlikely combination of mid-century culture, jazz music, and an internet rabbit hole that eventually led him to videos of traditional barbershops. One video, featuring the legendary Sweeney Todd’s barbershop in Los Angeles, changed everything.
“I was like, ‘That is the coolest thing I’ve ever seen,’” McMillan said.
Although his mother had been a hairstylist while he was growing up, barbering had never crossed his mind as a career. Curious, he visited a local barber in Provo to experience a traditional haircut for himself. He was hooked.
Within weeks, he had enrolled in barber school. There he met Wes, who would eventually become his business partner, although their friendship didn’t begin smoothly.
McMillan laughs about those first days. He had started school a little earlier and thought he knew better. Wes wasn’t interested in taking advice from someone who had only been there a few months longer.
“It was one of those (times) where we were both a little prickly,” McMillan recalled.
As time passed, mutual respect replaced stubbornness. The two discovered they shared a passion for classic barbering and eventually teamed up to open W & M Barber Co., blending traditional techniques with a modern, welcoming atmosphere.
Over the past decade, barbering has experienced a remarkable resurgence. McMillan believes it mirrors a renewed interest in men’s fashion and self-care, but he thinks something even more important has happened: People have started looking for connection.
Instead of bouncing from one stylist to another at a chain salon, many clients want someone who knows them—their preferred haircut, their family, their job, and sometimes even their struggles. That consistency builds trust.
McMillan tells the story of one longtime client who won’t even look in the mirror when the haircut is finished.
“He gets mad if I show him the mirror,” McMillan said with a laugh. “To me that is the highest pinnacle of trust in my industry. He just comes in, I cut it, and then he’s good.”
That level of confidence doesn’t happen after one appointment. It comes from years of showing up, listening and earning a customer’s trust one haircut at a time. It’s also why hiring the right people matters so much.
McMillan says W & M Barber Co. has a deliberately selective hiring process. Technical skill is important, but personality and character matter just as much.
“We’re really picky about who we hire,” he said. “I trust all of them wholeheartedly—with your hair, with whatever you’re going through in life.”
For generations, barber chairs have doubled as unofficial counseling offices, community centers, and places where conversations happen naturally. McMillan believes that tradition is still alive today.
“Don’t be afraid to talk to somebody about what’s going on in your life,” he said. “A barber is a great person to do that with. In a way, we are therapists.”
It’s an idea reflected in the shop’s motto: “The Genuine Experience.”
For McMillan, that means every customer—whether it’s their first visit or their hundredth—should feel like they belong.
In a world that often feels rushed and impersonal, that simple promise may be the shop’s greatest service. Yes, customers leave looking sharper than when they arrived, but if McMillan has done his job well, they leave feeling a little better, too.
Schedule an Appointment at WMBarberCo.com
