Barber Shop a Trendsetter for Historic Downtown

When Kathy Lanni and her husband, Lou, moved into the small brick building at 1122 Florida Ave. 20 years ago, there was little in the way of competition and no “downtown historic district” to speak of.

Twenty years later, Lanni has a direct competitor right next door, a slew of neighboring businesses that make up the downtown district, and the possibility of a new superstructure being erected right outside her back door in the near future.

And though a lot has changed in the two decades since the Lannis opened the , one thing has remained the same: the familiar atmosphere of the quaint little place. 

“We have people who have been coming in here since they were 3, and now they’re bringing their kids in here. It’s pretty incredible,” Lanni said.

“The customers and our barbers, they come and they stay," she said. "It’s like one big family.”

Jim Stigall, a 49-year veteran of the barber business and an employee at the shop for the past 16 years, echoes his boss’ sentiments.

“I’ve been in the business a long time, worked in a lot of shops all over the country, and what we have here is pretty special," Stigall said. "We have a talented, experienced staff and a lot of loyal customers.”

That loyalty has been forged over time. The Lannis have built a reputation for making the experience of getting a haircut enjoyable, hassle free and inexpensive.

When you look at the prices of services, or the interior of the shop, which is stuffed with memorabilia like pictures of Elvis and snapshots of customers, you are instantly transported to a time when a barber was a man’s best friend and a trip to the salon didn’t require taking out a loan first.

“I just saw a story in the paper about a shop in Tampa that charges $55 for a shave," Lanni said. "You know what we charge for that same service? Eleven dollars.”

“Maybe I should move my shop to Tampa!” she said.

A move out of the area would not go over well with clients like Palm Harbor resident Nick Gemmiti, who has been coming to the shop since he was in seventh grade.

"I've gone to other places a couple of times over the years, but it's not the same," the 22-year-old said. "This place is just more comfortable. It's like a giant family."

The charm and comfort of the shop isn't lost on those new to the area, either. 

"I just moved to Palm Harbor three months ago, and I've been coming here with my son ever since," said Rick Nelson, who owns a diner in Dunedin. "It's got a folksy charm about it. I love it."

Lanni grew up in the area and raised her five children here, three of whom work at the family's two shops, so she has deep ties to Palm Harbor and the downtown district. And even though her surroundings have changed dramatically since she opened her shop, she doesn’t plan on going anywhere anytime soon.

“I’m too old to start over," she said. "I hope to retire someday and have my kids take over.”

“I’ll probably drop right here,” she said as she pointed to a spot next to her chair.

Address: 1122 Florida Ave.

Phone: 727-789-5977

Hours: 7:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Monday through Friday; 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday; 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday