"Not many people know this," Silverhill barber Floyd Collins opined at the September meeting of "Men's 710" at Zion Lutheran Church. "You see, barbers were originally doctors." He was alluding to the fact that barbers were folks who used to "let blood," the thinking being that fevers and lots of ailments could be relieved by a little bleeding. Collins entered barbering after barber college in 1959. The career came after being orphaned at an early age, running off to join a circus, getting involved with animal husbandry in high school, and joining the navy at age 18. Barbering was only part of a rich life that involved being a radio disk jockey and a night club owner and operator.
Floyd Collins, center, discussed his life as a barber, radio disk jockey, and night club owner, with Silverhill's "Men's 710," a breakfast and speaker fellowship of Zion Lutheran Church. He was Men's 710's special guest at its September meeting. Ned Owens (l) and Pete Midgarden (r) are seated by Floyd.
"If we don't get some young men, everyone will be going to women for cuts," Collins lamented. "Everyone wants to do computer, but someone has to drive the nails." He was recognizing what we all know, that not every job is a desk job with a computer screen. "We used to have a dozen schools around Mobile, but there is virtually nothing now. It is like people do not want to work. All the trades are hurting" because of the lure of "easy money" outside of the daily work scheme of life.
"There were no unions when I started, but prices were the same all over. It was a 'nice little club'" The barber club, even in those days, involved a lot of women. But Floyd got a call from a friend in Tennessee and went north to set up a radio station.
Floyd later bought the "Bar J Ranch" night club in Maryland. While operating his club for over a decade in the 60s and early 70s, his use of country music brought familiarity with a lot of "old time op'ry" people. He wrote some music, played a guitar a bit, and was involved with itinerant music. In 1973 he came back to Mobile and later to Baldwin County where he has practiced the barbering art for lots of years. Along the way he has had some heart problems--"bad heart trouble," he says. "I came to grips with the Lord and joined a church and I have been happy ever since!"
Floyd Collins operates a barber shop in Silverhill just west of the center of town on the south side of State Highway 104. And yes, he has a traditional red, white, and blue barber pole. If you visit him, he will probably have his favorite country western music playing in the background while you are there.
