Clients agree: New West Newton barber is just their style

Stepping inside Don Lux's barbershop on Main Street in West Newton, past the familiar red, white and blue barber pole, brings customers into a place that has not changed since it opened in 1972 — except for the barber.

As she clips away at the salt-and-pepper hair of a longtime customer, 23-year-old Megan Pogyor is all smiles and friendly banter.

Pogyor took over the shop a year ago when longtime owner Lux retired at age 70.

The change was jarring for most clients at first, but they've adjusted.

After all, Pogyor is a West Newton native, a 2007 graduate of Yough High School.

Pogyor went to Douglas Education Center in Monessen for training, but cutting hair has been a lifelong passion.

“I practically grew up in my dad's shop,” she said.

Her father and mother, Drew and Leslie Pogyor, own Shear Excellence in Versailles.

Drew Pogyor said that from a young age, Megan was talented at hairstyling.

“Nobody showed her how,” he said. “But she could do some things I couldn't.”

Drew Pogyor is proud of how much his daughter has accomplished at a young age.

Longtime customers of Lux file in for haircuts, and Pogyor keeps up an easy flow of conversation.

She and customer Eric Bisko chat about a truck he is fixing up.

Pogyor expertly switches between razors and blades for a short crop cut, keeping the razor and the conversation buzzing.

After the haircut, Bisko said he has been coming to the shop “for years.”

He, like other customers, is perfectly happy with Pogyor's work.

“She does a good job,” Bisko said. “I'm a regular.”

Pogyor works alone in the shop and says it's consistently busy.

A sign of Lux's advertising haircuts for adults and children at $9 still hangs in the shop.

Pogyor said her client base varies. Some are retired, but plenty of young boys come in for regular cuts.

“It was really nice because when I started, he (Lux) already had a good client base,” she said. “Everyone in this town is so nice.”

Like Lux, she doesn't take appointments. There is no phone in the shop.

“I kept everything exactly the way Donny had it and just came to work,” Pogyor said.

The shop is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, but she hopes to start opening on Saturdays.

Pogyor said she has always preferred cutting men's hair.

Despite growing up in the hairstyling business, she did not style her dolls' hair in braids and pigtails.

“I think I chopped all their hair off,” she said with a laugh. “I think it's probably all gone.”

Kate Wilcox is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. She can be reached at 724-836-6155 or kwilcox@tribweb.com.