Longview Barber Shop, Clintonville's oldest business and possibly the oldest establishment of its kind in Columbus, was honored for that longevity May 10 by the Ohio Secretary of State's Office.
A representative of Secretary of State Jon Husted visited the shop at 3325 N. High St. to present a certificate for May's Ohio Business Profile. This month's theme, according to a spokeswoman for Husted, is Main Street Ohio.
"The 'Ohio Business Profile' was established by Secretary Husted as a monthly showcase of domestic businesses here in Ohio," Press Secretary Sam Rossi wrote in an email. "Each month features a theme. This month is obviously Main Street Ohio to feature family and independently owned businesses across Ohio."
While Longview Barber Shop was honored by the Secretary of State on May 10, it briefly was dishonored the morning before.
Rossi sent out a press release May 9 about the event.
It began:
"Longview Barber Shop in Columbus has been selected by Secretary of State Jon Husted as one of May's featured businesses for the Ohio Business Profile Program. A representative from the Secretary of State's office will visit Longview Barber Shop to present the company with a certificate highlighting this accomplishment. As part of the Ohio Business Profile program, Secretary Husted declared May as Main Street Ohio Month to highlight family-owned or indecently operated businesses that are considered staples in their community."
Indecently operated?
Well, it's not, but for about 40 minutes, not only did the Secretary of State's Office maintain that it was but also that the Clintonville business was to be honored for that reason.
A query was quickly sent to Rossi, who replied, "Typo. Should have been 'independently.' Thank you for spotting."
The corrected version went out, but Dave Carty, the seventh and current owner of Longview Barber Shop, was delighted with the original.
"My mom and dad are going to be so pleased that I finally made that jump," he said after being apprised of the error. "It's only taken 43 years for me to go from indecent to independent.
"My dad's a pastor. He's going to be glad that his work finally paid off."
Carty said he hadn't informed his staff about the May 10 ceremony because he wanted it to be a surprise.
"That's definitely something I want to show to them as well, that they're all indecent," Carty said.
Both versions of the secretary of state's announcement concluded:
"Longview Barber Shop was opened in 1919 by a returning World War I soldier. They have since mastered the feel of a traditional, neighborhood barbershop."
kparks@thisweeknews.com
@KeviParksTW1