By Marla Jones, Managing Editor • marla@southerntorch.com

PHOTO: Danny Stone started his barber career early in life and his family has a total of 16 barbers. (Submitted Photo)

FORT PAYNE, Ala. — Danny Stone started working at the age of 14 shining shoes at Smith’s Barber Shop in Alexander City.  

His father, a barber, told him one day that it was “time to quit shining shoes and start cutting hair” and that is when his barber career began. Danny’s dad had been trained by his Uncle Buddy Stone who started the Stone Barber Shop in the late 1940s. His father branched out and opened his own barbershop in a 16x16 building and some 65 years later, the Stone Barber Shop tradition continues.  

After training with his father, Danny decided to open his own shop up in 1995. He is celebrating 25 years of owning his own business. Danny kept the barber tradition alive by beginning to train his own son, Daxton Stone at the age of fourteen. Daxton has now been in the barber business for 10 years.

The Stones had a total of sixteen barbers in the family, with some passing on. There are three generations of barbers with 12 barbering full or part-time. 

The Stone’s Barbershop had planned a big celebration for all the years of service on May 9, 2020, but due to the outbreak of the coronavirus, those plans have been changed. The shop has asked all its customers to come by and honk their horn in celebration of 50 years of cutting hair for Danny Stone.  

The Stone’s Barbershop is located at 2206 Gault Avenue in Fort Payne. The Stone family is anxiously awaiting Governor Kay Ivey to reopen all the barbershops so they can get back to their family tradition.