BURGAW, NC (WWAY) — The TV show Mayberry has Floyd, but for more than a half century people in Burgaw had ‘Razor Ray’.
Tuesday, many gathered in the town to celebrate Ray Rivenbark’s retirement and his nearly sixty years of barbering.
“I think retirement is going to be just great” Rivenbark exclaimed.
Ray Rivenbark, who’s known by many as ‘Razor Ray’, recently retired after more than sixty years of cutting hair at Ideal Barber Shop on South Wright Street.
He bought the shop in 1966.
“While I was living in Henderson, the man who owned this shop called me and said would you like to buy a barbershop and I said well I’m going down that way this weekend. I’ll stop by and talk with you,” Rivenbark remembered.
At the ‘Ideal Barber Shop’ the floor stayed clean and those getting their hair cut did not need to be covered since Rivenbark used vacuum clippers.
People liked the vacuum clipper so much; they would make a special trip to his shop.
“I’ve cut 6 generations in some families. I have patrons that go from New Bern to come to get their hair cut. One man comes from Michigan on a regular basis, so that’s something to be thankful for,” Rivenbark shared.
And locals like Floyd Oathout continued to go back.
“Ray has been cutting my hair since I came to Burgaw 31 years ago,” Oathout said.
While the inside of his shop didn’t change much over the years, Rivenbark says the hairstyles changed a lot with the old cuts becoming new, again.
“The old men wore a certain haircut and then after a few years, that’s the haircut the young people were wearing. I mean it’s just changing,” Rivenbark stated.
Rivenbark loved cutting hair but recently he woke up and decided it was time to retire.
“Matter of fact, I hadn’t told my wife. She was fixing my lunch for me to go to work and i said don’t fix my lunch anymore, I’m not going to work anymore,” Rivenbark laughed.
What’s in the future for Rivenbark?
“I’ve got a lot of work to do around the house and gardening, taking care of the shrubbery and thereabout. Then we have a farm, I’ll go up and take care of the yard, the house is not livable. And we plan to do some traveling,” Rivenbark said excitedly.
A retirement part was held at Burgaw brewing Tuesday afternoon for Rivenbark where many people from the town showed up to thank and congratulate Rivenbark.