Barber Shop History
Back in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s barber shops were places for men to get together and discuss anything and everything. While some were attracted to saloons and pool halls, other fellows were visiting the local barber shop once a week and sometimes even more often. You might say the barber shop was a public man cave. Oh, you could count on getting a good shave or haircut when you needed it but, even when you didn’t need a haircut, the barber shop was the place to go. The shop was usually full of experts on any subject. You could sit there and in just a short time get more of the local and national news than the newspaper or TV would ever give you. You could count on someone giving an eye-witness account of any local event (whether they were at the event or not). Barber shops qualify as institutions of higher learning right along with universities and colleges. In the barber shop you can learn about subjects such as: History, “Bubba’s still was at that location for more than 20 years before the revenuers found it.” ; Politics, “Old Harry Truman would have …” ; Sex Education, “Stumpy’s bull went thru the fence again and had his way with Tommy’s cow.” ; Medicine, “That sassafras tea works every time.” ; Geography, “The fishing is so good back there that you have to hide behind a tree to bait your hook.” . The list goes on with almost any topic you can name. Don finished barber college back in 19?? and built Don’s Barber Shop in 1959. Over the next 53 years Don and the shop became a landmark in the thriving community of King. In that time they have groomed sometimes as many as 3 or 4 generations of the same family. Don always maintained a friendly and welcoming atmosphere and that tradition has been continued by our barbers. That tradition was very important to Don at retirement and he was careful to appoint someone to the job who would treat the shop’s customers the same way Don himself had done for more than 5 decades. Whether you need a haircut or not, Don’s is a place you will definitely want to visit often. Come sit a spell and meet with your friends and neighbors to catch up on the latest news, listen to some history tales and enjoy some good fellowship. Hear all about how Slim landed that 15 pound catfish (which the last time he told the story had grown to 31 pounds). Folks are predicting that by early winter the weight of that fish will be estimated at 75 pounds or more. Take a break, catch your breath and let the rest of the world go around you.