Old habits die hard.
And after 64 years in business as a barbershop, the building at 224 Madison St. couldn't quit its hairstyling habit.
Local stylist Katlyn Austin has revived the downtown Jefferson City building that housed Larry's Barber Shop from 1954-2018 - and she's keeping it doing what it does best as Katlyn Austin Salon.
"I wanted to keep as much of the old charm to the building as I could, and I actually kept some of Larry's stations and things that he had because I wanted to keep elements from the barbershop in there as well, but I just modernized it," she said.
Austin offers women's and men's hair services and eyelash extensions in the new salon, which opened in early February. She works primarily on an appointment-only basis, although she's willing to make appointments on the spot as her schedule allows.
And like the business' former namesake, Austin runs the show on her own, without any other stylists.
"When I opened, I had thought about maybe finding someone else, but right now, I'm really enjoying just being able to focus on my clients," she said. "I like that they can come in and it's just us."
The building's makeover has been mostly cosmetic, she said, with effort to bring out the best in the old building. For example, a drop ceiling was removed to expose the original tin ceiling.
Austin's grandparents, Don and Mary Jane Stokes, own the building, as well as its next-door neighbor Stokes Electric, which has its own 100-year history in downtown Jefferson City.
"It's really kind of cool to be right next door to where my family's been for so long," Austin said.
For more information, visit the Katlyn Austin Salon page on Facebook.
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