Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, May 14, 1995 TAG: 9505150094
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: D-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: YORKTOWN LENGTH: Medium
At Cliff's Citgo, Meredith Eugene ``Eddie'' Edmondson capped his last bottle of Brylcreem and put away his barber's clippers last week.
The retirement of Edmondson, 74, after 55 years of cutting hair also marked the end of one of the most unusual business combinations around.
``There's no other place like it in the entire United States,'' Edmondson said. ``You never hear tell of a barbershop in a service station.''
But York County residents had gotten used to the odd mixture.
Edmondson cut his first head of hair in 1939. After two years in the Navy during World War II, where he practiced on the heads of Seabees, he opened a barbershop in Yorktown.
He closed it in 1982, thinking he would retire. But he wasn't ready to quit entirely.
Cliff Alderman, owner of the gas station on U.S. 17, asked him to set up a chair inside. Edmondson, who saw customers three days a week, became an immediate drawing card for people waiting for a state inspection or other car service.
``I think it's been good for both of us,'' Edmondson said as he carefully clipped 81-year-old Kelsor Moore, who dropped by for a final Edmondson trim before Thursday's closing.
At the beginning of his career, an Edmondson haircut cost 35 cents. More recently, it was $6.
``Everybody's going to miss Eddie,'' said customer Bob Bishop. ``He's a true landmark here.''
Alderman said he'd like to get another barber to take Edmondson's chair. ``The problem is, there aren't many barbers out there any more,'' he said. ``Maybe I'll start cutting hair, or maybe we'll just play checkers in there.''
by CNB