Originally published in the 2004 Founder’s Day Review
If you want to find out what’s good about the Belleview area, there’s no better person to ask than Mack Lefler, who has spent the last 34 years cutting hair at Walt’s Barber Shop in Belleview.
“There is nowhere else I want to be than right here in Belleview,” said Lefler, a native of Jacksonville.
“The reason I like it so well is that I know you are never going to find a nicer group of people than those who live in Belleview. I have made a lot of close friends in Belleview that I trust and I know they trust me.”
Mack graduated from Jacksonville Barber College in 1962, worked in Jacksonville for a few years, then “drifted down” to Belleview. He met Walt Reeves, owner of Walt’s Barber Shop, who hired him, and he has worked in the same shop ever since, although it has changed locations several times.
Asked how many haircuts he had given in the last 34 years, Mack quipped, “Not enough. If I had cut more, I could have been retired by now.”
Still, the number of haircuts has been considerable. He is the barber of choice for many Belleview residents. He enjoys his work and his customers.
“There are a lot of jobs out there,” Mack said. “I’ve had chances to change occupations several times, but never seriously considered it. I am a barber because that’s what I want to do.”
The only downside of his job is losing long-time customers who die.
“That really hurts me,” he said. “I have a hard time getting over that.”
One that he especially misses is former Police Chief and City Clerk Bill Giles. “Bill was a great fellow and I cut his hair for years. But now, I cut his grandson’s hair.”
When hair styles started changing in the 1970s, Mack decided he would not go into styling school but would stay with old-fashioned barbering.
“I figured there were enough customers out there that wanted to look like real men that I could make a living.”
While Mack enjoys talking about barbering, his favorite topic is Belleview.
“I love my job and I love working in Belleview,” he said. “When I do retire, I plan to stay right here in Belleview. There’s no place else I want to go.”
For the first 30 years in Belleview, Mack worked for Reeves. In 1997, the shop was sold to Howard Warrington.
“I want to thank both Mr. Reeves and Mr. Warrington,” Mack said. “We always had a good working relationship.”
“I also want to thank all my customers who have supported me through the years.”
