One of my favorite places to go in all of Athens is the old fashioned barber shop, Carsey's, located just at the end of Court Street. Upon opening the door, you are immediately greeted with welcoming smiles and hello's, as well as the aroma of shaving cream and barbicide (the blue disinfectant the combs are put into). I have been in there quite a bit over the past couple of years, mostly for a great old-fashioned haircut, but also to sit and listen to the stories and wisdom of older gentlemen.
I've heard all sorts of stories during my simple haircut from ones about one man being a Navy Seal during his day, to one about the time a man hit a fastball off a future major leaguer. Being in there almost seems like a movie setting with the big leather chairs, the traditional red-white-blue swirling post, and the decorative pieces hanging on the walls that are from a time that only my grandpa would know.
One day I was looking around the shop and noticed a picture of a man that looked older at the time, and the picture must've been taken awhile ago. So I asked the man cutting my hair who was in that picture, and he notified me that was, in fact, his father. His father was the original Carsey, and founded the barbershop in the 1940's. It has been an establishment ever since then here on Ohio University's campus, for all students and Athens residence to enjoy. He talked about stories of his father meeting a countless number of people a day, yet still having a good thing to say about them all. He also told of the time when the store moved locations, and also about how he decided he wanted to follow in his father's footsteps.
Carsey's Barber Shop is a true time capsule of Athens, OH and Ohio University itself, and I encourage anyone to stop by for an old fashioned haircut, or at least a good history lesson.
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