Today, Jimmy Kondilis turns 90. He is no ordinary 90-year-old. He still works in his barber shop in Rockhampton (a shop he has been in for 65 years), remains active in his community, and continues to teach others his barbering skills.
“I drive myself to work six days a week by 7:30am. I make my coffee, turn on the Greek news, and read the paper. My boss – my wife – calls to put in the grocery order after I head home from work,” Jimmy says.
“I do not know what retirement is. What would I do — sit at home and watch TV? No. This is my shop. My office. My meeting place with my friends.”
The Greek Herald spoke to Jimmy, and he shared his remarkable story.
“Life in Australia was hard at the beginning, but I knew there were opportunities here that I could not find in Greece. I came here with little to no money, and I did not know English. Everything was new,” he says.
His wife — and a dream of a better life to raise a family — brought him to Australia.
“I had a pair of scissors and a comb, and I wanted a bigger stage for my skills. I did not want olives and grapes. I had seen how hard that life was. My father wanted me to stay in Greece, but I wanted Australia,” he says.
Jimmy had no formal education. It was straight to farming and cutting hair.
“People think of Greek beaches and holidays — I never saw that life. It was all work.”
Jimmy says he owes Australia a lot.
“I am proud to say I am Australian first now, Greek second. I have called this country home for 70 years and have been in this shop for 65 of those. My barber shop became my education. I learned from my clients every day.”
When Jimmy settled in Rockhampton, there were already Greeks there, which helped him a lot.
“I had to find a place to work not knowing English, and my scissors and comb had to speak for me.”
Over the years, one of Jimmy’s greatest achievements was bringing fellow Greeks into the barbering industry as apprentices and giving them a life of their own in Australia.
“I also taught and mentored my daughters and my son in the art of cutting hair, watching them succeed in their own businesses and building strong names for themselves in town. People respect them. That makes me proud.”
But his biggest success is not the shop, the buildings, or the investments.
“My biggest success is my family — my wife, my children, my grandchildren, and now my great-grandchildren. They have built lives for themselves around Australia, and I am proud to know it all began in Rockhampton, from my two hands, a pair of scissors and a comb.”
Everything came from that.
Jimmy’s story is a fascinating one.
“My father, Sokratis, was a barber in the village of Kastania in Samos, and a farmer. My grandfather, Dimitri, was also a farmer. We had olives and grapes. I took to barbering because I liked it — and it was what I knew from my father.”
When he was drafted into the Greek Army, Jimmy sharpened his skills cutting hair across Greece. His work was recognised by army generals, and he became their personal barber. His name began to spread around the bases.
“After my army years, I went back to my village, but farming was not for me. Life was harsh, and I wanted to cut hair and greet people.”
Jimmy went to the main port in Samos, Karlovasi, looking for barber work. There was none. So he worked in cafés — serving, selling, and pleasing customers.
“They tipped me well. I learned that skill is important, but people skills are everything.”
News of life in Australia travelled back to Greece. His wife, Georgia, was already in Australia working on cotton farms in Central Queensland near Rockhampton.
“She came back to Greece to get me. We travelled together to Australia and first settled in Sydney.”
On the boat to Australia, Jimmy started cutting his close friend’s hair. Soon after, crew members and passengers began asking for haircuts too. There was a spare shop on board, and the crew told him to work out of it until the trip was finished.
“I made some money on the journey over, and that was the start of something. That was my first real taste of how far my skills could take me.”
In Sydney, Jimmy worked in a Greek café and barber shop. There were many Greeks there, but the city wasn’t for him. He wanted a friendlier place.
“I worked at Vize’s Newsagency and Barber Shop on East Street, Rockhampton. I did not know English, but I needed to support my wife and build a life. Word spread quickly about a Greek barber who cut differently. Back then, Australian barbers cut more American-style — high and tight. I brought a European style and always tried to please the client.”.
Clients began lining up for Jim. He saw an opportunity and took a lease on a shop of his own in the Royal Arcade — and that was the beginning.
“65+ years later on East Street, the rest is history. Jim’s Barber Shop was born. Out of barbering, I built a good life. I moved into building, designing properties unique to the Rockhampton market. I invested in retail shops because I wanted to give other businesses a home to grow.
“I work next door to my son’s salon, Sokratis. My grandson, Dimitri, visits most days for lunch — he has his own business on East Street now as a financial planner. On Saturdays, he tries to cut hair with me. He tries to keep up.”
Jim goes on…
“Give your life to a craft, and that craft will give a life back to you.”
“I am proud of the name I have built in the community. In Rockhampton, people often refer to me as ‘Jimmy the Barber’. That is my identity, and it is what I love.”
“The scissors are part of me. This is not work — it is who I am. You must enjoy what you do. Talking to people is essential. You can be technically skilled, but without people skills, you will not last.”
“I have raised over 20 apprentices. Many of my staff are now retired. I am the only one still working. I started barbering at 13 years old — that is 77 years in one trade.”
“You have to have an interest in creating a style, not just a buzz cut or a quick, rough haircut. You need to take care with the shape of the hair, read the structure of the head, clean up the beard and the edges — a more refined finish.”
“Classic will always remain classic. The young fellas now have their own ways, and I don’t always agree — of course, you need to look like a proper gentleman. The styles of the 50s, 60s, 70s, and even the 80s — those were the good styles.”
“Ten years in a job is just the beginning. Make your work your badge. Make it part of your identity. In the long run, it will reward you.”
Jimmy has some advice for young Greek Australians.
“Serve people well. Be friendly. Do good by them, never bad. They will spread your name. Your name is your greatest business asset. Your clients are not just today’s income — they will be your future income through their children and grandchildren. That is your network. You learn from them.
“And I must say this — my success also comes from God. I owe Him a lot. He has helped me and my family through many years, through both struggle and blessing. Hard work is important, but faith carries you when hard work alone is not enough.
“Always remember where your grandparents came from — and appreciate where you stand today.”
