Barbers hold progressive haircut

By Tracy Farr
Editor, The Daily Spittoon

The Happy Street Barbershop Quartet will hold its 87th Annual Happy Street Progressive Haircut Sunday with all proceeds going to support the Happy Street Barbershop Quartet.

"Our annual progressive haircut is something I look forward to every year," Mayor Herbert Reese said.  "It's a great time for guys to get off the couch, visit with friends and neighbors, and most importantly, get rid of all that hair that keeps them from looking spiffy."

The Happy Street Barbershop Quartet is a Stinky Creek tradition that dates back to the 1920s.  The quartet is made up of local barbers who visit and sing at nursing homes and hospitals.  The group relies heavily on the contributions it receives from the haircut fundraiser.

Participants begin their progressive haircut with a shave at Fred's Barbershop on Main Street.  There, they can have all the coffee they can drink and watch John Wayne's True Grit. 

"I'm so happy to be a part of this organization and annual event," said Fred Neely of Fred's Barbershop.  "I've been sharpening up my razor, cleaning out the coffee pot, and warming up the video player in preparation for this.  It's going to be a great day, and the money we make will go for a worthwhile cause."

After the shave, participants will go to Sloppy Joe's Hair Styling to get the haircut.  Sloppy Joe's will be serving barbecue and showing Re-runs of Rawhide.

"I think one of the best things about getting a haircut is watching those shows you can never see at home because your wife is sick and tired of seeing cowboys in black and white punching cows, kissing girls and shooting bad men," said Joseph Manning, owner of Sloppy Joe's. "If you've never had a haircut while watching shows like Rawhide, well then pard'ner, you've never really had a haircut."

After Sloppy Joe's, participants end their progressive hair cut with a shoe shine at Powers' Old Time Barbershop.   Powers will be serving apple cobbler and showing Clint Eastwood's High Plains Drifter.

"The hometown barbershop is in decline all over America, falling victim to franchise dipper clippers who offer cheap cuts for high-dollar prices," said Jerry Powers.  "Barbershops are the last bastion of male maleness in America, and if the local barbershop falls, so falls America.  So come out and support a good cause as well as all that is good and worthwhile in this great country of ours."

The progressive haircut will begin at 7:30 a.m. and end at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday.  Cost is $35.  For more information, call Fred Neely at the store.