"Red" the barber dies.......1991

ROBINSON, MURPHY, MCLAIN

Posted By: Volunteer: Sherri
Date: 7/27/2025 at 20:06:10

1991

"Red" the barber dies October 21

Keosauqua's monarch of First Street, Vern "Red" Robinson died Monday, October 21.

For 57 years, Vern operated Robinson's Barber Shop on Main Street, earning him the honor of being Keosauqua's oldest business.

Vern began in the barber business in 1934, during the week of the county fair. He bought his shop on First Street in 1934, remodeling it in 1962.

He and his shop withstood the 1947 flood, changes in hair styles, and saw many of the changes of downtown Keosauqua and it's patrons over the years.

Earlier this year many men in the community, who had gone to Vern for their entire life were forced to look else where for haircuts, when ill health forced his retirement. For his male customers, going to the "beauty shop" was an experience.

Gone are the days of the barber chair, the smell of hair tonic, the buzz of the clippers and the male dominated atmosphere.

In an earlier interview, with Donna Murphy, Vern shared the following of his career:

"One of his memorable experiences was cutting "Mohawks" for the Keoasauqua(err) boys' high school basketball team in the early 1950's.

"The Boys were going to play in a district tournament," said Robinson. "I believe there were only two boys on the team that didn't get a mohawk. I believe that ended their winning streak."

"At one time, it was against the law for a man over the age of 12, to get a haircut in a beauty parlor.

"Beauty parlor operators lobbied to get the law changed, "and from then on, the barbers have faded out," Robinson added.

After his retirement the barber shop was sold and today houses a beauty parlor owned and operated by Betty McLain. McLain offer's both men and women's haircare.

Today, with the passing of Vern, his legacy will live on in those who remember taking their son to his barber shop for their first haircut, farmers who squeezed in a hair cut during planting season, and those who sat for a while and discussed city politics with "Red" the barber.

**Obituary is posted separately."

Source: "Scrapbook 1991 - 1992", Pg. 69,
Keosauqua Public Library, Keosauqua, Van Buren Co., IA