ATLANTIC BEACH, Fla. — An Atlantic Beach barber is stepping away from the scissors after more than six decades.
Thompson left West Virginia with his soon-to-be bride in 1960 fresh out of high school to start a new life and enter barber school in Jacksonville. He graduated barber school in 1961 and began working at a small barber shop with just three barbers.
In April 1964, Thompson, 21, purchased the barber shop at 701 Atlantic Blvd. and established Bob’s Barber Shop was established. For 63 years, Bob has cut five generations of hair and is the longest running business in Atlantic Beach, according to Shipwright Communications.
He's cut the hair of local Mayport shrimp boat captains, U.S. Navy admirals, police chiefs and more than half a dozen mayors. In 2021, Thompson was awarded a proclamation from the City of Atlantic Beach after 60 years of service.
On Thursday, Thompson gave one final haircut as he packed up his scissors and leapt into retirement: a haircut to his successor, David Lambert, who is purchasing the barber shop and will maintain it as Bob’s Barber Shop.
