By John Balch
News-Leader staff
NASHVILLE – After more than 50 years in business, Reeder McCullough wasn’t about to let a little fire keep him from running his Main Street barber shop.
That is why Whiteway Barber Shop and McCullough, 86, are back in business this week at 111-1/2 Main Street.
The barber shop, which opened in 1963, was damaged by fire during the early morning of Sept. 14, 2016. The fire caused some structural damage as well as smoke and subsequent water damage and also claimed a handful of McCullough’s Nashville Scrapper memorabilia that dates back as far as 1922. (The day after the fire, McCullough joked that the fire damage would just make the memorabilia “look older.”)
While the business was down, McCullough and partner, Michael Ordonez, relocated a few blocks away at the former Doris Hair Fashion. McCullough said owner Doris Ray was a big help after the fire and “just went out of her way to be helpful.”
“There was a lot of folks that really help us out,” McCullough said Monday as he tied up loose ends in preparation to open Tuesday morning. Not wanting to leave anyone out, he issued a “big thank you to everybody” that pitched in to get the business back up and running.
The plans are for the barber shop to operate Tuesday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 8-12 noon on Saturdays. McCullough will work half-days Tuesdays through Thursday for about three more months. After that, McCullough said Ordonez is going to take over and buy the business.
“Then I’m going to retire,” McCullough added.
