It was the late 1800s when Jacob Theobald Jr. was taking dancing lessons from William “Billy” Heft, a Honesdale barber, when he convinced young Jacob to take up barbering instead of tailoring. Jacob became Billy’s apprentice shortly after and the lives of future generations were altered forever.

In 1890, Jacob Theobald opened his own shop in the basement of the corner building at Seventh and Main streets in Honesdale, about where Wayne Bank’s flagpole is today.

It was at that location in 1910, Jacob’s son J. Alfred “Mocker” Theobald began to learn the trade from his father.

Father and son worked 17 hour days, 6AM to 11PM,  Monday through Saturday. Sunday was a mere six hour day, 6AM to Noon and was mostly reserved for shaving.

They worked together until Jacob’s health failed and he passed away in 1937.

The epic flood of 1942 forced Mocker from his basement shop to higher ground. He moved to the corner of Sixth and Main Street into what was originally the Coyne Hotel, but was then a Ford dealership run by Robert and David Boyd (a dealership without cars to sell - the showroom was empty as the war effort put a temporary end to car production). Upon the sale of that building in 1945, Alfred was on the move again. This time setting up shop at 547 Main Street in what was the Fern Café.

In January of 1946, Alfred’s oldest son, William “Bill” Theobald, began to learn the trade from his father. While Bill was sharpening his skills as a barber, his younger brother James “Jim” Theobald did the shoe shining at the young age of 12 … for a nickel a pair.

In 1951, Bill and Jim began their own game of musical chairs … Bill entered the U.S. Air Force and Jim took his place behind the chair and learned the trade from his father. In January of 1955 Bill returned to the shop ... That May Jim left to serve in the U.S. Army.

While Jim was away, Bill remodeled the shop to accommodate three chairs so that when Jim came home the father and sons could work together. Jim returned home and that's exactly what they did as Mocker and Sons until 1962 when Mocker decided to retire.

In March of 1965 Bill and Jim decided it was best to part ways. Bill moved down the street and purchased the former Burcher Electric Store at 511 Main Street. Five years passed and Bill and Jim were back together again. Jim moved into that shop along with his associate Bob Fielding. Bill & Jim’s Barber Shop was born.

Fast forward 20 years and it’s now 1990 when Bill’s daughter Michele ‘Mick’ Theobald Frigoletto joined the shop. Under their tutelage she honed her skills and learned from the best.

In 2004, Bill and Jim eased onto greener pastures and Bill & Jim’s became Mick’s Barber Shop.