Floyd the Barber - Mayberry, North Carolina

One of our adventures led us to the little town of Mount Airy, North Carolina. This is the boyhood home of Andy Griffith. Andy grew up here and the TV town of Mayberry is patterned from his memories as a young lad. 

The town and its merchants have taken advantage of this by using characters from the show to bring tourists. We visited Opie’s Candy Store, Aunt Bea’s Diner, Wally’s Filling Station, and of course Floyd’s Barber Shop.

Floyd’s Barber Shop caught our attention. We looked in the window and the barber had a customer in the chair. I guess the customers have to get used to tourists gawking at them, because we weren’t the only ones peering through the glass.

We soon realized why there were so many gathering outside the window. The barber looked a lot like Floyd Lawson, Mayberry’s barber. We had to go in. The walls were covered with photographs of “Floyd” posing with tourists. 

“Floyd” was very friendly and played the part well, making everyone who entered his shop feel at home. Jesse decided he’d like to get a shave with a straight razor, something he (nor I) have ever had done. Floyd told him it would be about 45 minutes, so we went on to explore other interesting sights while waiting.

When we returned, Floyd was just finishing a bologna sandwich. As he ate several of the town’s “Good Ole Boys” sat and visited with him. The discussion wasn’t much different than you’d hear on the Andy of Mayberry Show.

Floyd had a hot towel ready for Jesse. He whipped up lather in a shaving cup, gave the razor a few quick swipes on a leather strap and approached the chair. His hand shook about 6 inches back and forth as he pretended to be nervous. I took a few pictures of Jesse getting his Old Time Barber Shave and Floyd posed with the whole family. He asked one of the locals to take a picture with his camera for the wall.

Jesse enjoyed his shave but I decided I didn’t need one.