Classic barbershops have long served the social hub of tight-knit communities. Esquire Barber in Holt is no exception.
The barbershop has been a mainstay of the community since the 1920s. Though it has changed locations and owners many times during its almost 100 years in business, it has remained a key gathering place where Delhi Township residents — ages 2 to 102 — go for high quality, no-nonsense haircuts.
Bob Beckwith, the shop’s current owner, has been in the barber business since 1965. For over 15 years, he worked as a teacher at a barber college in Lansing. During the later part of his teaching days in the early 1990s, he had two students who turned out to be the sons of Dwayne Willett, then the owner of Esquire Barber. Beckwith befriended the family and came to work for Willett in 1995. In 1999, he officially purchased the shop.
Since then, Beckwith has continued to build on the legacy of this Holt-area landmark.
While he has never advertised the barbershop, he still keeps his chairs full of customers Tuesdays through Saturdays. The longevity of this decades-old shop is about a lot more than just easy walk-in appointments and clean cuts. It’s also about community.
“I enjoy the customers,” Beckwith said. “I’ve made a lot of friends here since I’ve been here. I’ve gotten to know several of them quite well.”
Esquire Barber is at 1965 Cedar Street in Holt, 517.694.7528.