Richardson's Barber Shop (Yanceyville, NC)

Courtesy Jerry Parks Cooper

Richardson's Barber Shop Observes 25th Anniversary

Howard Richardson, local barber, is observing his 25th business anniversary here this week. He came to Yanceyville on March 4, 1931, from southern Alamance near Saxapahaw and started in the barber business. His business establishment was burned out on January 6, 1932, and he moved to the Hooper Building on January 28, 1932, and resumed his business. He purchased his present building and moved in on March 1, 1938.

Howard, as he is known to his friends far and wide, has some interesting statistics about his 25 years here as a barber. He has spent during that period 103,520 hours at his trade and has never been away from his business more than four days at a time. To the little folk who have come for barber work, he has given 6,000 of chewing gum and 17,900 candy suckers.

Howard's hobbies includes farming, fishing and publishing advertising quips which have a wide reader audience.

Source: The Caswell Messenger (Yanceyville, North Carolina), March 1956. Clipping courtesy Jerry Parks Cooper.

Yanceyville Before the Fire

Howard Richardson operated his Yanceyville barber shop at three locations: (1) his original location on the east side of the Square; (2) the Hooper building on the west side of the Square; and (3) the building just off the Square where he remained until retirement in 1974. He moved from his first location because of a fire.

In January 1932, the Tom Lea Building burned, damaging the A. H. Motz Building and threatening the entire east end of the Square. Lost were Lea's Garage (Justice Chevrolet), Richardson's Barber Shop, and Swicegood Funeral Home. Tom Lea apparently leased the building to Justice Chevrolet and began rebuilding immediately.

Source: The Caswell Messenger (Yanceyville, NC), January 7, 1932.

Note that the Tom Lea building that burned was owned by the person discussed elsewhere in connection with the "Bottom" in Yanceyville. He owned the large home on East Main Street just east of the Gunn Tractor building: Thomas Sidney (Tom) Lea (1873-1963). His wife, Julia Hill, is the Aunt Julia remembered by many.

To see the Tom Lea building, click on the photograph and look to the upper right for the "Chevrolet" logo. That logo is on the Tom Lea building that was being used by Clyde Cole as his first Yanceyville dealership: Justice Chevrolet.
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Courtesy Jerry Parks Cooper

Courtesy Jerry Parks Cooper