By Val Jones - (Staff Writer)
www.fayettevillepress.com
When does history and business walk hand in hand? When it is Glaspie Barbershop in downtown Fayetteville. Located at 228 Franklin Street, Glaspie Barbershop has been the home of Walter Thomas Patterson for over 4 decades. At the seasoned but very spry age of 92, "W.T." (as he is known throughout the community) has been cutting hair nearly most of his life…and he still loves his job. His motto of "satisfy your customers and have a good moral standard" is not only what he practices, but what he passes on to the younger barbers under him.
W.T. Patterson was raised in the Cumberland County/Hope Mills area. As a young man, he was raised on a farm. However, when his dad brought him into town every weekend, he would stand in front of the barbershop with dreams that he, too, would someday be a barber. There was a brief moment, however, when the local legendary barber thought he might become a mechanic. "But being a barber was inside work and clean. Being a mechanic was dirty work. And I liked being clean," he says with a smile.
W.T. worked his father’s farm until 1940 when joined the Army. Already cutting the hair of neighbors and friends before entering the military, W.T. continued doing what he loved and ran a barbershop overseas while in service. It was then he decided that, once leaving the military, he would go to barber college in Winston Salem to get his official training and certification to become a licensed barber.
Soon W.T. would find himself working side by side with friend and partner of four years, Roscoe McLeod, in a location he would be in for the next four decades. In the early ‘60s, W.T. bought McLeod’s Barbershop…and Patterson’s Barbershop continued the tradition of being the place fathers and mothers brought their sons for generations to come to get their hair cut in downtown Fayetteville. Recently, W.T. passed the torch again…this time to Bobby Glaspie. Says W.T., "Bobby came out of barber school and came here to get a job. He’s been here ever since. He’s a straightforward young man and like a son to me. And he believes in satisfying the customers."
Even though the name has changed several times over the past four decades, loyal customers have been coming back for years to 228 Franklin Street to get their haircut. In fact, the barbershop has seen generations of families come through. Folks like Arthur Cromatie have been coming since the ’60s. "My grandfather knew the barbershop to go to…and so do I." Arthur’s son, Isaiah loves coming to Glaspie’s because he says "the shop is clean, the barbers are experienced and they know what they are doing."
Along with Bobby Glaspie, Virginia Stinney also works along side of W.T. at Glaspie Barbershop. They are quite a trio and it’s obvious that Bobby and Virginia have a lot of respect for a man who "can still cut hair better than many young folks." However, after cutting hair for over 75 years, W.T. admits it is time to bring some fresh young energy into the barbershop. So, he is retiring in the next few months to make room for a new barber coming out of barber school. But, don’t think he still doesn’t have a lot to offer. W.T. is still an active member of First Baptist Church and always takes the time to share his wisdom. Says W.T., "By living a long time, you’ve got experience in seeing and going through a lot of things. So, I can see a mistake a young person’s making and I try to school all the young barbers about life and making a living. A lot of money don’t mean a good life. Your health and trying to please God in your living…that’s a good life. If you can still get around like a young man at my age…? I feel great that God has blessed me. "
Last year, W.T. Patterson was honored by The United Barbers Association of Fayetteville with the 2005 Barber of the Year Award for outstanding service in the community and being instrumental in helping the black barbers in and around the Fayetteville area. Says Bobby Glaspie, "More than anybody, he deserves it. He still puts a lot into the organization and he keeps all the young barbers enlightened spiritually, morally, in all ways. He’s the man!"
Glaspie Barbershop is opened on weekdays, except Tuesdays, and on Saturdays from 8AM til 5PM. Stop on by or call 910-483-9189. And remember, there really is history in that haircut…especially when it’s a haircut from W.T. Patterson.
