Ernest Larson

Businessman of the Week 12 June 1959

This week’s businessman spotlight falls on Ernie Larson, who has barbered in Cheney in the same shop for more than 30 years.

Born in Deer Lodge, Montana, Ernie moved to St. Joe, Idaho, as a young man in 1919, and there learned the barber trade.. Among his early-day duties as an apprentice barber were the firing of the gas water heater (they blew up now and then) and the gasoline lanterns.

Ernie married in 1921 at St. Joe, and has a stepson living in Spokane.

The Larsons moved to Cheney May 14, 1928, and Ernie went to work in the present barber shop for Warren S. Meyers. Ernie bought into the shop the next year, and in 1937 he bought out Meyers’ interest.

For some 15 years the barber shop had a beauty shop in connection with it. The beauty shop operated from 1931 to about 1945. Mrs. Paul Jeffrey, Cheney, was the beauty operator for Larson for about eight years. Subsequent operators were too numerous to mention, Ernie says.

Warren Meyers returned and bought an interest in the shop in 1943. His interest was bought by Irving Brooks in 1948.

Ernie has been a member and officer in the Cheney Gun Club since it was started in the late 1930s. Except for about three years since that time he served as secretary.