Charlie Brown's Barber Shop

 Pictured are my Aunt Frances and late Uncle Fred Crain. Fred enjoyed making music at Charlie Brown's Barber Shop.
 

I drove on Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018, to Greg’s Barber Shop located in a shopping center on Wade Hampton Blvd., between Taylors and Greenville, SC. At 8:55 a.m. Greg Barnes wasn’t there and didn’t show at 9:00, his weekday opening time. Another arrival, David Rogers, said, “Greg’s usually here early.”

David and I introduced ourselves. He’s a Vietnam vet and a Christian. We talked about where we were stationed in Vietnam. He was injured — shrapnel in the back — and has suffered a couple heart attacks, he said. After 15 minutes, we left, figuring something delayed Greg.

I drove back toward Taylors and made a first-time stop at Zack’s Barber Shop on Wade Hampton. Corey, age 21, invited me to one of three chairs. His brother, Zack, 23, runs the business. Corey said the shop used to be called “Charlie Brown’s Barber Shop.” I was stunned. My Uncle Fred Crain, who died on Feb. 21, 2018, at age 92, frequented this shop and probably had sat in the same chair I was using. Carol and I moved to Taylors in January of this year after living in N.C. for over 29 years because of my work in carpet manufacturing. During those years, I telephoned Fred who often told me of getting a haircut at Charlie Brown's Barber Shop and then, if there were no customers waiting, “making music” with Charlie B. and a younger barber, David, who played trumpet. I had not known exactly where Charlie Brown's shop was located but had "stumbled into it." I pictured Charlie (who also plays guitar) on keyboard, David on trumpet, and Uncle Fred on guitar, enjoying jamming in that small shop. I missed my uncle as I sat there and thought of him making music with friends. 

“There used to be a lot of junk sitting around here when Charlie owned this shop,” Corey said. “Charlie’s retired but he doesn't drive now. He lives up on St. Mark Road and walks down here sometime. I don’t know where David is working.”

I thought about “change.” Carey and his brother sport youthful hairstyles. Relocated are Charlie Brown and David and gone is Charlie’s “junk.” Gone are the sounds of their music. Gone to Glory is Uncle Fred.

Here is an internet blurb about the old shop: “Brown’s Barber Shop was founded in 1990, is located at 3058 Wade Hampton Blvd. #14 in Taylors, S.C. It’s a hair salon offering such things as haircuts and hair styling and blowouts. Sample prices include $13 for a men's haircut.”

Matthew Craft, a customer, wrote about the shop on March 13, 2014, saying, “Absolutely one of the most surreal haircut experiences I have ever had. The Charlie Brown Barber Shop on Wade Hampton. Jazz music playing on the stereo — come to find out the two barbers are musicians. Before I left Charlie and David said, "Lets play a little ditty.” They are all from New York. Best 13 bucks spent yet.”
 
Here are youtube sites showing Charlie and David playing music, along with an old fellow (not my uncle): 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ka1JJozSJY8 
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPRMnz3Mu_o 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFeHrwDD80A