CLEARFIELD COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ) — One DuBois barber created a device for people with disabilities after coming up with the idea years ago.

The Tranquilift at Bakas Barbershop, inside the WPAL Fitness Center at 37 E. Long Ave, DuBois, PA 15801, is an apparatus that allows people in wheelchairs to be lifted and leaned back for haircuts. It’s something that’s never been done before and all of this comes from Chuck Sallows’ first client. 

“I went to school in 2015 at Martins Barber School in Huntington and one of my first clients was an individual in a wheelchair. He wanted a shave but the only thing we could use were electric shavers because to get a shave I have to access your neck so that means that lay down movement,” Bakas Barbershop, Barber Chuck Sallows said. 

But with the help of the University of Pittsburgh Sallows was able to develop a prototype and on Wednesday was the first time the Tranquilift was put into use. 

“It was very easy the whole thing was the setup was a lot better compared to the first one and just overall the experience you know life is about bad experiences so being able to experience this with chuck is something special,” Brockway Resident and first Tranquilift participant Curtis Markle said. 

The design was originated to give everybody the barber shop experience. 

“Offering people the experience, just giving people an opportunity to feel that relaxation, and once again believing in the barber service and just a trade it in offers gentleman and women, but the opportunity to take a breath to relax, and just know, it’s like I’m like a detailer you know you can do it but I’m just here to take it off your hands a little bit,” Sallows said. 

From the first prototype, Markle was asked to give feedback to improve the chair for anyone who uses it. 

“Chuck asked for my feedback and what needed to be developed for this chair so he took that information and developed it into what it this was and it was a better experience overall,” Markle said. 

Markle mentioned how the device made it so comfortable that he almost fell asleep, but most of all this device gives him hope. 

“The whole device to me just gives hope and optimism that there are many other people in the world like Chuck that want to make this more inclusive,” Markle said. 

Sallows hopes that this device will be able to be used anywhere in the world in the future from stadiums to doctor’s offices.

The shop is open Monday-Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.