Iconic Fayetteville barber shop to close down as owner retires

Donnie Barefoot, 80, is retiring and closing the Haymount barber shop in Fayetteville.

He has been cutting hair at that spot since 1959, for over 60 years.

He had some health issues recently, and that combined with the coronavirus shut down prompted him to close up shop.

Barefoot never missed a day sick until a heart attack in November. He had heart surgery in February, and after the coronavirus shutdown in March, he began to think about hanging up the clippers.

"When you're 80 years old, you need to think about that," Barefoot said.

Haymount is a Fayetteville institution, as Barefoot has cut the hair of judges, reporters, district attorneys and mayors.

Barefoot will close up the shop, but he will continue doing haircuts by appointment only at his phone. A drive-by retirement celebration is planned for Thursday afternoon.