CENTERBURG — The barber chair sits empty, and the scissors are no longer sharpened. Not since 1962 has there not been activity at Larry’s Barbershop on Main Street in Centerburg.
The longest running tenure of any current businessman in Centerburg came to an end recently when Larry Hawkins decided to close his barbershop after more than 49 years in business at that location.
“I just thought it was time,” said Hawkins, claiming that he hadn’t planned on retiring yet, but recent vascular surgery plus bouts with diabetes and heart attacks helped spur on his decision.
“I’ve had great peace in closing down, but I really miss the customers,” said Hawkins.
The decision to start a barber career came suddenly during his junior year of high school. One day at school he asked his friend Ron Totman what he was going to do that day. “I’m going to sign up for barber school,” said Totman. So Hawkins went and signed up as well, and the rest is history. “It was a God thing,” stated Hawkins.
