A letter to Icon readers from Liz Gordon-Hancock:

I’ve been told that the basement barber shop at 125 N. Main St. Lower (currently Stoney’s Barber Shop) has been a barber shop in continuous operation for over 100 years. I’ve also heard rumors that this is one of the few remaining basement barber shops in the state of Ohio. 

Ever since I purchased this building (125 N. Main St and down the right side of Vine St.) from Richard Boehr in 2020, I’ve been trying to piece together all the different barbers which have used the basement premises, as a way of confirming its 100-year tenure and preserving the history of the place.

But I’ve found a lot of holes in my information, and wondered whether the community could help me fill in the gaps in my knowledge.  

According to the inimitable fount of knowledge Richard Boehr, the first barber at this location was "Curly" Basinger's great-grandfather. According to a quote in the Bluffton Icon, “The shop was later headquarters for a Mr. Day, Bob Lewis, Dick Smith and later Jerry Marshall.” I’ve been able to confirm some, but not all, of this. My research doesn’t seem to stretch much before 1921, and I still have a few gaps between then and 2011. 

Also, Tine McGriff is a familiar name to the older generations of Bluffton. He ran McGriff’s Barber Shop on Main Street in the early 1900s. But where was the actual barber shop? Was it in the basement barber shop at 125 N. Main or in Armin Hauenstein’s block of buildings (which is now the Twisted Whisk Cafe coffee shop and Food Store). 

From researching yearbook ads and Bluffton News archives, here’s what I’ve been able to confirm:

1921-1952

According to the Bluffton News, Robert M. Lewis (or Bob as most knew him) ran the Lewis Barber Shop in the basement of 125 N. Main from 1921 to 1952. Did Gerald Swank take over? 

1952-1955

In 1953, Swank’s Barber Shop advertised in the high school yearbooks, with Gerald Swank as proprietor, but no address was mentioned. Where was Swank’s Barber Shop located?

1955-1960

Richard (Dick) Smith operated Smith’s barbershop at 125 N. Main St Lower. 

1960-1978

Then in 1960, Smith joined with Jerry Marshall, who together ran Dick & Jerry’s Barber Shop for many years. 

1978-?

From 1978 onwards, it became just Jerry’s Barbershop. Many locals remember Jerry’s tenure as the local basement barber. But when did Jerry finally retire? I found an advertisement for his shop as late as 1980, but don’t have a confirmed end date. 

2011-present

Craig Stone started Stoney’s Barber Shop, which is still going strong today. 

This is what I know. If anyone knows more, or can fill in any gaps for me, I would love to hear from you. 

Regards,

Liz Gordon-Hancock

[email protected]

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