Norwood Claims Smallest Barber Shop In World-This Day in Norwood History-August 5, 1923

15 FT BY 3 FT 6 INCHES

This town has the distinction of having the smallest barber shop in the world, according to the proprietor, J. J. McCarthy, who has been a barber in Norwood for many years. Of course, the boys cannot remember a rial parlor, so I call it the Hole In the Wall, and let it go at that It is a most complete, though diminutive, barber shop.

In order to justify Mr. McCarthy’s claims, it may be said that his shop measures exactly 15 feet long by exactly three feet six Inches wide, When swinging the barber chair around, one must fold up the footrest in order to get a complete turn.,

Besides the customer in the chair and Mr. McCarthy himself, the little, barber shop has a waiting room sufficient for three thin men or two fat men. Mr. McCarthy says that he prefers the three thin men, because the fat men are apt to wear out his wallpaper too much.

Mr. McCarthy opened the shop some time ago and was compelled to start in such a small place because there was not another place of any size to rent in Norwood. The shop is so small that one prominent public fat man in town is compelled to back out of the place before he can put his collar on, or put his hand in his pocket for change to pay the barber.

In spite of its extremely small proportions, the fat men and the thin men are all regular patrons of the establishment. Mr. McCarthy is doing a rushing business, even though some of the waiting line has to wait next door in the establishment of John P, Welch, the Globe’s business representative and newsdealer in the town.

The shop is so small that it presents quite a few problems to the proprietor. For instance, there is no place large enough to heat water, so it must be heated, as required, by an electric appliance, that heats about a cupful at a time. One man’s shaving water is being heated while the customer in the chair is being shaved. The only thing in the whole shop that the Globe man could see that was not electrical was the old-fashioned razor.

The shop Is situated between a grocery and a fruit store. One might pass it a dozen times without seeing it, were It not for the barber sign that revolves outside the door. This, however, has to be placed to one side. The picture seems to bear out Mr. McCarthy’s claims to possessing the smallest barber shop in the world. Recently Officer William Barrett stood in front of the shop. A hobo approached with unkempt beard, and said to “Bill,” “Get outta the way, willya?” The surprised minion of the law, not used to such treatment, asked. “What’ll I get outa here for?” The hobo calmly replied, “Well, there is a barbershop somewhere around here and I think it’s just in back of you, so move over till I go in and have a shave.” Officer Barrett moved over. The hobo was right. It was there.