Published: May 08, 2008 03:26 pm         

BARBER OF THE 'VILLE: After 45 years of cutting hair, "Mr. Jay" has seen it all

There's not too many things more American than a good, old-fashioned barber shop.

With 45 years in the trade, one would be hard pressed to discover a person with more experience than Crossville's own Jay Blaylock, owner and manager of Jay's Barber Shop.

Blaylock said Jay's may be the oldest shop still running and he's definitely the oldest barber in town at 78 years old.

"I love the trade and have always enjoyed it," said Blaylock. "I still have one or two [customers] who are still coming in since I've been barbering.

"I've met a lot of fine people," he added.

The four ladies working as barber-stylists at Jay's Barber Shop had nothing but good things to say about "Mr. Jay."

"Jay is one of the kindest, understanding men I've ever known," said Dolly Magnufon. "Working with him is a blessing from God."

Chintana Hewitt mentioned Blaylock was "like a father to [her]." Angie Carter has been working at Blaylock's shop for 13 years and noted the shop has been a great place for building her career.

Eliza Goney commented that "Mr. Jay" is a great man and a wonderful employer, saying he was "very understanding to a mother's unique struggle in the workforce."

Goney went on to say Jay's Barber Shop has been "the opportunity locally for women to break into the barbering business," something that has been historically a male-dominated profession.

Blaylock couldn't pinpoint the reason he went into barbering. It just began to interest him, he said, when working on the farm at the UT Extension Center on Highway 70 at around the age of 18 or 19.

After attending Tri-City Barber College in Knoxville, Blaylock started out at Rocky Hills Barber Shop on Knoxville's Northshore Drive for six months.

"All the time, I wanted to come back to Crossville," he said.

After his family doctor, Dr. R. Gene Cravens, built Blaylock a shop, he worked there on First Street behind the Palace Theatre for 10 years, he said.

Once the Woodmere Mall began to develop, Jay's Barber Shop moved there in December 1973. He's been there ever since for a total of nearly 35 years.

Blaylock retired at 65 and went to working two days a week. Following surgery that placed a heart valve inside him, Blaylock went to only barbering one day a week.

Presently working on Saturdays, the four barber-stylists run the shop during the week. Customers regularly ask how Blaylock is doing when they come in, Goney noted.

Putting in some time during the week, Blaylock still cleans up the shop every evening and does maintenance when needed.

During his first 10 years, Blaylock remembers cutting the hair of former Tennessee governor Ray Blanton. Another incident during his first 10 years working on First Street stood out in his mind.

In that day, said Blaylock, Saturday was the usual time people visited barber shops, so the shop was full, he said.

"A guy came in and got in my chair—said he wanted a cut and a shave," Blaylock explained. "He wasn't drunk when he got here, but his head went down while in the chair.

"I was giving him a shave and he rose up. I almost cut his chin off," he said, describing the bloody incident.

When he realized it was possible the man was intoxicated, Blaylock informed the man to not come back when he had been drinking.

"I was embarrassed," he added. "That was the most frightening thing I've ever done."

During the midst of his career when long hair became popular among men, Blaylock and a fellow male barber took a styling course to help them in cutting long hair.

Blaylock said he doesn't have too many hobbies other than doing work around the house. He used to fish often, he said.

Blaylock and his wife Floy have two children, six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Goney noted "Mr. Jay" and his wife adopted their two children, saying they raised them into "wonderful adults." She said Blaylock regularly attends church with his wife and is an example of living out an authentic Christian life.

"I've never heard him say a bad word against anyone," Goney said. "Many of the barbers here in Cumberland County have come through Mr. Jay's shop, building their business and growing big enough to go out on their own."

Blaylock said he plans to hang up the shears if he ever gets shaky with his hands. As for now, he wants to keep cutting hair as long as he's able.

"I want to thank all the people who have stuck with Jay's for the past 45 years and thank all the new people who come in and give us a try," he said. "God bless you all."